Last year in September I went hiking in my home mountains, Retezat National Park. Here are a few words I wrote down in my journal after that experience.
Meeting Jenna again births a desire in me to continue writing, telling stories through photos and written words. Being in the mountains with friends I haven't seen in such a long time, reconnecting with old friends, and new, sharing stories with Marc, Shanley, Jenna, Lelde, Eathan, Lidia. This is freedom, to be able to roam freely in the mountains. I wish to experiment more with hiking and fasting. I felt empowered. Water tastes different with altitude. And being focused on the path, every time it becomes overwhelming, coming back to the breath, remembering.
Breathing through the nose, pranayama is so vital, practicing more and more makes the body more resilient, more prepared for this kind of exposure.
After six months, I return to these words and to the photos, glimpses of past reality captured in time. The desire is still alive, action is needed.
I have been dreaming of these mountains many times in the past months, their magnitude and vastness always bring me a quality of peace and humbleness I haven’t experienced anywhere else.
Hiking up on the rocky trails we shared the journey, the beauty, the stories, the encouragements, the effort, the treasures found in the depths of our backpacks in the shape of homemade peanut-butter and jams and other goodies, the smiles, the fresh air and the celebration after reaching a summit.
After we parted ways with our friends, we returned to our campsite and witnessed an exquisite play of light and clouds as the Sun was swallowed by the sleeping mountain giants.
In this sunset light I met my brother, another moment of peace and shared love for the beauty found in Nature.
We decided that we will go to sleep in our tents and wake up early, hike up to the ridge where we would receive the Sun and the new day.
Waking up early when sleeping under a clear starry sky seems easy, yet the hike turned out to be harder than expected.
It was still worth it. The gift of the moment is priceless.
My brother loves coffee so much that he even carried his moka so we had a nice hot cup of coffee while waiting for the first rays of the Sun to touch the landscape and our cold skin.
It’s really hard to explain with words the sensation I get when I start the day this way. It’s not the first time I have done it and for sure not the last. Every time it’s different and yet it’s already familiar, the moment when the night surrenders to the day, bowing down in front of the light, feels divine. It’s like being in a temple and witnessing a sacred ritual.
With Rumi’s words:
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don't go back to sleep. You must ask for what you really want. Don't go back to sleep. People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch. The door is round and open. Don't go back to sleep.
So I will try no more to explain the profoundness of the experience. I let the images speak. Let them move you, let them allure you. Let the mystery speak to you.