connect to the mojave
To many, the Mojave is a land of extremes. Its a place of intense daytime heat and chilly nights; stunning red rock escarpments and dry desolate scrubland. It can be beautiful or frightening, delicate and yet dangerous. The Mojave can be so many things to so many people.
For many of us, the Mojave is home. Its alluvial soils rest beneath the concrete foundations of our homes, the asphalt we drive on, and the elaborate resort casinos that dot our metropolitan landscape. Creosote, yucca, and prickly pear emerge through cracked cement sidewalks and reclaim empty residential lots. Coyote and roadrunner scurry just out of view while the slow, steady tortoise meanders amongst basalt boulders. The Mojave supports the soles of our feet, arouses our senses, embraces our bodies, and caresses our skin. The Mojave is us.
Join us in exploring meaningful and mindful ways of connecting to the Mojave.
“The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.“
Ralph Waldo Emerson
ways to connect
intentional hiking
Intentional hiking is hiking that, while often having a destination designated, does not emphasize the destination, but rather the connection with wilderness. Intentional hiking often includes interpretive elements such as attempting to connect to the flora, fauna, geography, or history that inhabits a place. In our Mojave home, we may find ourselves actually hiking less, finding ourselves easily distracted by the sweet butterscotch fragrance of the Ponderosa Pine or entertained by a merry band of Pinyon Jays.
mindfulness meditation
Outdoor and wilderness settings provide an ideal environment for both sitting and walking meditation. This is certainly no less true in the Mojave. Where else can we get 365 days of weather each year that is ideal for meditating outdoors, where our feet can kiss Earth’s warm sandstone skin, where the gentle and wise Bristlecone Pine provides watch while we sit? Teachers such as Thich Nhat Hanh offer us invitations and guided meditations, many of which emphasize our connection to Earth, to help guide our practice.
wilderness skills
Like all animals, we humans are born from the wilderness. We once all possessed the skills and tools needed to live and thrive within our native bioregions. Through (re)learning and practicing wilderness skills such as foraging, minimalist camping, and land navigation, we awaken an ancient bond with our wild Mojave homeland. Of course, we must always be mindful of our impact while practicing these skills.
forest bathing
Forest bathing is a practice somewhere between intentional hiking and mindfulness meditation. Inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, we use all of our senses to fully immerse in desert scrub, Pinyon-Juniper woodland, and Joshua Tree forest using various “invitations” to guide our practice. Forest bathing may include simple ceremonies where tea or treats are shared. A destination is never designated.
bioregionalism
Bioregionalism is the philosophy of adapting to fit into the natural environment rather than adapting the natural environment to fit us. It is the act of becoming native to a place and learning how to live in balance with all who share a place with us. The Mojave is an absolutely unique place with unique offerings and challenges. When not mindful of how we inhabit the Mojave, we threaten the very essence of our home. For too long, humans have transformed bioregions to fit their needs and taken from the Earth more than their share. By adapting to and accepting the wild Mojave as our home, we lessen the harm done to the Earth and allow the Earth an opportunity to heal from the many injuries we humans have inflicted on her.
mindful travel
With sprawling suburbs and blistering temperatures, it is hard for some of us to imagine a method of transit within the Mojave other than the automobile. But travel by foot, bicycle, or public transportation provides the opportunity to explore the Mojave in a more mindful, sustainable manner and to experience an intimacy with our environment not possible from inside a car. With thoughtful planning and a good knowledge of our Mojave home, great adventures await that don’t require the use of transportation modes that do less harm to us, our Mojave neighbors, and our Mojave home. A bus can carry us to the edge of Red Rock Canyon. Our feet can take us on a weekend backpacking trip well beyond the city boundary. A bicycle can transport us around the world. #MindfulTravel
mindful eating
No other human activity so intimately defines our relationship with the Earth and the other living beings we share our home with. Being mindful of where our food comes from and the true impact of our food consumption choices can help us build more ethical and honest relationships with our home, ourselves, and others. Our city is bountiful with healthy, ethical, sustainable food options, but will only stay that way if we support those who provide us this gift. #MindfulEating
sobriety
Chemicals that alter our minds’ functions rarely enhance our ability to connect to ourselves, other beings, or the world around us. More often than not, the chemicals we consume with the intent of enhancing our minds’ functions only dull our senses, deplete our energy, and encourage us to say things and to behave in ways that are in conflict with our true nature. As human animals, our senses are naturally and uniquely suited to provide an unequaled interface with our wild world. We should keep them sharp.
“When we walk like (we are rushing), we print anxiety and sorrow on the earth. We have to walk in a way that we only print peace and serenity on the earth… Be aware of the contact between your feet and the earth. Walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet.”
Thich Nhat Hanh