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Mountaineering to locations that may solely be accessed on foot is without doubt one of the most immersive methods to expertise nature. The sacred reveals itself in these unspoiled landscapes the place all you hear is the crunch of your boots, the sound of your breath, and the wind singing its historic tales.
On a latest journey to Patagonia, Chile, I skilled pure moments of peace within the forests, exhilaration on mountain peaks, and revelations—delicate and vital—alongside the way in which.
Patagonia is a area that encompasses the southern finish of South America, ruled by Argentina and Chile. After I requested my information to elucidate the geographical borders of the Patagonian area, she responded, “It’s not a spot, it’s a tradition.” I nodded knowingly, however I puzzled if my Spanish translation had failed me. I didn’t actually perceive what she meant, however I remained quiet and refocused my consideration on descending a dusty path of free rocks.
Our group hiked to the famed Three Towers in Torres del Paine, the nationwide park that’s central to the Chilean aspect of Patagonia. From the rocky summit of the three granite Towers, I may really feel my coronary heart pounding in my chest as I took within the unbelievable topography created by glacial erosions tens of 1000’s of years in the past. As a gust blew again the hood of my jacket, a sutra emerged as a melodic chant in my head.
“Bhuvanajñānaṃ sūrye saṃyamāt.”
There are numerous interpretations of Sutra 3.27, however the one I at all times gravitated to most is Sri Swami Satchidananda’s translation of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra: “By samyama on the solar, information of your complete photo voltaic system is obtained.”
Samyama refers to dharana, dhyana, and samadhi–focus, meditation, and divine union. As I regarded in awe on the huge steppe of the Patagonian panorama in Chile, 1000’s of miles from the place the Yoga Sutras have been conceived, I puzzled why this sutra got here to thoughts.
With a aware consciousness of my environment, I gazed previous the big boulders of the Torres del Paine’s mountain passage, and adopted the downward slope which revealed lenga forests dissolving into fields of prairie grass ribboned by crystalline streams.
I noticed a sentinel guanaco, cousin to a llama, perched on the hilltop, able to warn its herd if it noticed a preying puma. An Andean condor soared overhead, displaying its unbelievable 10-foot wingspan (twice my peak!). One other blast of wind startled me to consideration and pushed me to proceed.
We entered a forest of lenga beeches, timber which are native to the southern Andes vary and thrive within the subantarctic forest. Daylight peered by means of their jagged leaves and we have been welcomed by the singsong name of native birds, as if we had stepped right into a storybook.
I assumed again to the sutra, which focuses on the theme of interconnectedness. It tells us that, upon considering this common information, and association of the solar after which the moon (Sutra 3.28), the interconnectedness of all beings is revealed. On this method, we could also be supplied perception into our very existence.
Strolling on the terrain the place nomadic tribes as soon as journeyed did really feel like a religious sojourn, the paths we hiked creating a standard thread between us and people who walked these paths way back.
“It’s all linked,” I whispered to myself.
Good calafate flowers provide a burst of coloration towards a backdrop of mountains and rolling hills. Legend has it that anybody who eats a calafate berry will probably be sure to return to Patagonia.
Taking a look at this panorama, I believe I understood what my information meant when she defined that Patagonia is a tradition, not a area. By definition, tradition is a lifestyle. In Patagonia, this revolves round a connection to and reverence for nature. The tradition grows out of a communion with the atmosphere. It acknowledges that knowledge unfolds within the form of each calafate flower, within the seemingly chaotic motion of bees round their hives, and within the dignity of the mountains that stand majestically towards the endless wind. It’s in these complicated simplicities that we really feel the interconnectedness of all beings, drawn along with the very important power of prana.
Patagonia is usually referred to as “the top of the world” as a result of it’s the southernmost a part of the American continent. On this place, an precise half-world away from the place the sutras have been transcribed 1000’s of years in the past, I felt a deep connection. The wind performed a symphony round my ears that week whereas I continued to chant “Bhuvanajñānaṃ sūrye saṃyamāt,” as if the breeze have been singing it to me. Had it been carried by means of the years, on the commerce winds, to me at this very second?
After every lengthy day of climbing previous petrified fossils and glacier-made lakes, we returned to EcoCamp Patagonia’s compound of geodesic dome constructions, sustainable lodging for journey vacationers. My legs felt heavy, my toes begging for liberation from my sneakers after the climb. However I felt a religious lightness in my coronary heart, Sutra 3.27 nonetheless singing in my head just like the wind circling previous my ears.
Bhuvanajñānaṃ sūrye saṃyamāt.
The domes’ aerodynamic construction is designed to withstand Patagonia’s sturdy winds (which may attain as much as 250 km/hr). It permits the wind to maneuver gracefully over its curves, permitting air and power to flow into with out obstruction.
The form is a tribute to the indigenous individuals, who used to maneuver from one place to a different, constructing and eradicating dome-like dwellings. In historic Persia and the Hellenistic-Roman world, domes have been related to the heavens; a dome over a sq. base mirrored the geometric symbolism of perfection, eternity, and the heavens.
As a result of domes are concave from beneath, they’ll mirror sound and create echoes. Contained in the dome, I may hear the winds whirring across the partitions–a sound that appeared to echo spirits previous. It was the sound of the universe. The sound of indigenous individuals who migrated by means of this land, and of the philosophical seers who studied the sutras half a world away. It’s all linked.
Every night as we filed into the yoga dome—the one certainly one of its form in Torres del Paine—we shed our layers, leaving a litter of trainers and jackets scattered across the entry. One after the other, we entered the light-filled area with quiet reverence. The massive window within the dome revealed a setting solar, with the sky turning an excellent pinkish orange towards the silhouette of mountains. Streaks of daylight jogged my memory of the sutra translation: “By samyama on the solar, information of your complete photo voltaic system is obtained.”
In every yoga class, I deepened my breath and felt extra grounded and awake in my consciousness. As we moved collectively below the dome, our our bodies synchronized in gradual, deep stretches. The delicate elements of our interconnectedness was shared within the motion of our our bodies, just like the dance of the wind. As every breath invited soothing waves of heat air into my nostrils, the connection of all issues unveiled itself, there on the finish of the world.
Bhuvanajñānaṃ sūrye saṃyamāt. Life unfolds in ever-changing and infinite methods to manifest consciousness inside us.
Having returned from this extraordinary place, I’ve discovered that the connections stick with me. The magical power of Patagonian tradition—revealed in methods each delicate and vital—revealed my connection to all issues. It occurred in a method that may’t be defined however quite felt right here on the “finish of the world,” the place the journey each begins and ends.
Bhuvanajñānaṃ sūrye saṃyamāt.
Table of Contents
What you could learn about touring to Patagonia
Touring mindfully cultivates deep connections—to others, to nature, to the universe, to these we meet, to previous and current. Attending to the practicalities of journey is an train in mindfulness as nicely. Listed here are issues to concentrate on whenever you journey to Patagonia.
When to journey to Patagonia
Excessive season is November-March, when the climate is hotter, however the winds are additionally stronger. Contemplate the shoulder season (October and April), between peak and off-peak seasons, when it’s a little bit cooler however the winds are calmer.
Methods to get there
Choose an in depth flight. The gateway cities to the Chilean aspect of Patagonia are Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales (5 hours and a pair of hours from the doorway of Torres del Paine, respectively). Flights into Puerto Natales from Santiago are restricted, costlier, and solely run throughout excessive season, however in case you can snag one, that’s your finest guess for a handy arrival right into a small, charming city that caters to worldwide vacationers.
The place to remain
EcoCamp is the world’s first geodesic resort, a compound of geodesic dome constructions which are designed to be sturdy, gentle, and power environment friendly—excellent for somebody on the lookout for sustainable lodging. It has three day by day yoga courses in its one-of-a-kind yoga dome. Working towards asana earlier than and after climbing helps rid your muscular tissues of lactic acid and offers you one other method to fill your lungs with mountain air.
Necessities to pack
A requirement of climbing in Patagonia is guaranteeing you’ve got simply the precise variety of layers to manage your physique temperature. The temps can fluctuate from lows within the 40s to the mid-70s through the day. What you actually need to put together for is the wind, which may make it really feel a lot colder. Be sure you equip your self with windproof every little thing. My information wore this jacket and really helpful it for its windproof and waterproof capabilities. Beneath are hyperlinks to different gadgets that labored nicely for me. However, in fact, select the gear and gear that will probably be most snug for you.
Layers, layers, and extra layers
Balaclava for the wind
Windproof and waterproof jacket
Insulated jacket (down is often the warmest)
Waterproof sneakers to put on on the campsites
Gloves to guard your palms from the wind but in addition with versatile grip to your climbing poles
Mountaineering boots
Day pack
Journey backpack that matches 5-7 days of clothes (in case you’re climbing the W path)
Hardcase baggage (in case you’re checking a bag)
Foldable climbing poles
Journey water bottle
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Ingrid Yang is an inner medication doctor, yoga therapist, and revealed creator. She has been educating yoga for over 20 years and is the creator of the books Adaptive Yoga and Hatha Yoga Asanas. Dr. Yang leads trainings and retreats all around the world, with a particular concentrate on kinesthetic physiology and therapeutic by means of breathwork, meditation and mind-body connection. Discover out extra at www.ingridyang.com.