Hiking and Healing in Tucson Arizona communing with Nature and God
I decided to go on a hiking kick for a bit. I went to Sabina Canyon and walked a trail towards the waters in the winter time. It wasn’t as cold and could take your shoes off and videotaped the beautiful water and sounds of serenity from the flowing waters. It was a sunny day and a small boy encouraged me to take off my shoes and socks and wade and make it across to the other side. I walked back to a cliff like hang and it ended on the tarmac towards the parking lot. I was smiling and people were looking at me as if I was high and I was high on nature, water and beauty of the Canyon I couldn’t visit because our family car broke down and didn’t make it to the picnic area. It was a choir picnic and then the members just waved and didn’t stop and never came to check on us. A scoutmaster saw us and gave us water and put some gas in the car and we were on our way back home because another gal was with us and Mom wanted to get her home.I said, “One day I will see this.” Here I was at 59 and I was 11/12 years old doing my dream and healing my wounded child.
I soon went to ride horses on my own at a local horse farm. It was a pleasure to have a personal guide and it was a slow day for him. He was quite a friendly young man and we enjoyed the conversations about Natives and the Reservation life I learned from my Elder, Tom Blue Wolf and shared it. He was quite touched. My horse was gentle as well. He took pictures of me next to the horse I rode. It was another childhood dream fulfilled.
I then went a few months later to Romero Trail and the Bird Trail at Coronado State Park. The blog when the Blue moon affected me for two days recently told how all nature was speaking to me and giving me directions or messages. It was another fairy tale like hike and adventure and I played my didgeridoo and Tibetan bowl. It was a blessing and heartfelt as vivid dreams for two days affected me in my transformation. Nature was teaching, comforting and accepting me over and over again…unconditional love.
I then decided to discover by the urging of my friend in GA to go to Catalina State Park but the weather was a little off so another friend of hers lived here and told me to go to a small trail park 5 minutes away from we I walked several rounds and took my didgeridoo and Tibetan bowl. Dragon flies had branches on each side of my bench as I played the didgeridoo; they seemed to witness the sounds and didn’t fly away in fear as I got up to play the didgeridoo standing up. They seemed to be watching a concert and birds were around me. There were Marsh like plants, ducks and the bullfrogs could be heard as I explored this quaint bog like trail. I thanked and ended another didgeridoo in gratitude sitting by the Recordskeeper old mesquite tree that faced the parking lot.
Next week I went to see the Petroglyphs but the trails aren’t marked to keep only locals in the know because they were sacred and couldn’t quite find it. I think I saw cars and trucks park but no signs to clarify clearly and didn’t want to get lost but had fun driving my SUV over rocky terrains slowly as there were ranches around the areas and back roads. Exploration is a good thing.
Then weeks passed and I was ready for getting away from the computer work as our bookkeeper decided to quit our cpa and other companies never getting 2022 in for taxes business and personal. I had to order statements and reconcile each year on banks and credit cards. Then had to get 2023 entirely correct. It was mind-boggling how someone could do that waiting so long past August when I kept asking her if she wanted me to complete it. A hike was overdue and nature was calling for a digital detox. I went with my QiGong teacher class to Mount Lemmon and hiked a bit to do QiGong and played my Tibetan bowl and vibratone and then she speaks my teacher to trees and a tree asked I stand by it and send a funeral honor didgeridoo playing to the fallen tree on the other side. It was an honor and blessed day as a woman received a finch feather from the fairies….How sweet. Birds and life were increased as we did our class and we were by our own trees as our teacher instructed us to hug the tree and bond and feel its energy as ours. What a treasure of a day.
I then went weeks later to Sabina Canyon to do the 7 to 8 miles trails at Bear Canyon but I went only 4 miles as I arrived later in the morning and it’s mostly tarmac. Sun on tarmac makes you hotter than taking a little side dirt trail beside it. I played my didgeridoo to give heartfelt thanks for God’s support and all the people in my life and my journey coming from my storm into the calm.
Then I went to the Painted Hills where I took the Slingshot Trail…all approximately 3 miles or more and I am a beginner marveled at senior citizens going at a quick pace and with ease. My friend assured me they had done this for decades. So I continued my journey and it was enjoyable and great to be out. The AllTrails app was quite handy to give the colored marking of the trail and arrow that marked where you are and how many miles and how much time it would take and driving directions to get there and saved your progress. It was a gorgeous sunrise happening as I arrived. Arizona has so many beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
I then decided to hit the gym to give space doing Qi Gong and Yoga and weight training and left and planned to hike the next day at Dripping Springs (off of Sutherland Trail) at the Catalina Hills or Coronado State Park. It had diverse types of climbing, smooth trails, rocky trails, upward slopes and downward slopes and boulders to get over. As I drove up to the parking area that was across from the many trails; there was a coyote that crossed the road. It was challenging for a beginner and it was 4.2 miles on the app. There were little trails and older people jogging with ease as I have asthma and used my inhaler as dust was in the air. I showered each hike and my muscles relaxed. It was a great time to get away from the smelly grimey and germ filled gym into fresh air and sunshine. I saw many cactus wren,quail and heard doves and black beetles. They seemed like they bodies were elevated upwards like in an alien movie where the ships had legs and walked the earth destroying humanity with Tom Cruise in it. I heard the little noises of prairies dogs gathering for their food stores and in groups as they stopped to stare at me when I left where they were climbing the desert stones as the sun started to make its journey past the mountains in back of me to the front.I then went to the car and smelled the remnants of a skunk’s spray on the way. It then went away. I was content to see the cousins of my power animal the GroundHog which were the Prairie Dogs.
The next morning I was told that a government shutdown would happen and state parks would be closed…So I went to hike the Agua Caliente Trail and bird trail. It was a beautiful day and I decided aid would walk twice and .5 miles more this trail to make it my 3.5 mile marker. This is the park where we did Qi Gong on good weather days. The ducks and birds were everywhere. I was finishing my last round and a hummingbird that was with a group of 5 hummingbirds separated to greet me on the trail. It was saying it was my deceased Mother. She said she was proud of me for my path in Tucson, Arizona. She said that she would give healing messages to my brothers in their dreams as I prayed for healing for all. She felt so happy and said that she would follow me and she flew in the air and then sat on a branch as I didn’t want her to follow me through traffic home. Then my Grandpa (father of my Dad) spoke and said he had been talking to my Dad in his sleep to heal him from their past. I was happy and tears of joy came.I was wearing my sunglasses and detoured the bird trail as benches were made of desert animals…the first one was a horned toad…sacred to To’ohna Odham tribe and it asked me to sit and I played my didgeridoo on it and then I thanked all and played for all. Then a few feet away, walking to the next bench was a tortoise and it was nice to touch it and then the next was a boulder that asked me not to sit on it but touch it. I greeted throughout the walk the trees I call the recordkeepers and the ancient large one near the front showed me history that went through there from Native lovers, to farm hands to cattle and so forth. I greeted it with my mind and it knew me and said keep going on your path. I walked some more and there was a rabbit and I slowly went to the other trail to allow it space then waited and went back and it was in the sagebrush eating and calmly looked at me and I carried on. It was a beautiful healing day.
I hiked Paint HIlls Trail Loop 4.3 miles. Let’s see I can work off the macarons I bought and ate 2 days in a row…woohoo. Not ever again. Haha! I decided to go from the last portion to the top portion of the trail first instead. There were huge bunches of quail or partridges and now I know their call. I saw a tarantula slowly walking across the path and then many many doves as the cactus wren that inhabit the sahuaros called out warnings that I was there. I continued to walk the trail as others with dogs were hiking and we greeted each other and passed by. Then more doves all around and they left a feather of peace. At one point, Blue Thunder my Guide had some what I call Spiritual fuel in my mouth a couple times to keep me going as a boost. He does visit his friend Tom Blue Wolf off and on. I was making good time determined to finish the time noted on tha AllTrails app and the miles were 4.3. I got off trail as a few fallen sahuaros fell over the trail and cactus barrels. Someone had been clearing the trails and half way through it became rocky and boulder obstacles to maneuver and I was determined to complete it in time. I did exactly as mentioned and was happy. The last time I came to Painted HIlls I went on String…trail and I was walking slowly and extended looking at nature all around me as the sun rose that day and added another 15-18 minutes. This time I wanted to see and next time I will do the 5.1 Starr Pass Trail next week.
Yep I grew tired of the smelly grimey and germy gym during virus, flu and cold seasons. It was a great workout and my macarons field the extra job and sprints I added in there with the help of my Guide. I am so grateful as I always great All when I am in nature. What a marvelous beginning to a beautiful day and it is didgeridoo time and will shower and play. I am so blessed.
So when you feel the “Digital Detox” as my Beloved and I did a series and no one wanted to let go of their phones, It was difficult as some people wanted to messenger that I didn’t have their phone number to get things done and had to leave quick messages to some to get my newsletter done and get real estate payments in for items and wages arranged along with rental payments and bills out. What would we do without technology? Well, that’s the best I could do and console a friend about challenges to her past few months.
So when you feel like getting away from social media not posting anything or getting involved in drama or scams or limited views; do a “digital detox.” I felt great and getting stronger and invest in a pair of walking trail sticks so you can get the right hiking shoes I have L.L. Beans and then you can walk in rain, snow, etc. Use the AllTrails hiking app and it is worldwide and it records your progress. Get out and be in alignment and Nature and Spirit. Reset, Restore and Recharged. Always eat enough before going and use electrolytes in your water, wear sunscreen and hat and to up the challenge take a good backpack that is not hurting your back to carry your snacks and water and enjoy the great outdoors. Namaste.
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