How a Terrifying Mountain Trip Opened Me to a New Portal of Awareness | Polly Wirum

On December 12, 2024By Online Niel

A few weeks ago, I went on a backpacking trip with some friends. When we started our journey to explore a canyon for a few days, we were aware that the first challenge would be to find a usable passage that would take us safely into the canyon.

Since the landscape was unfamiliar to me, I relied completely on the two people I was with. We had a limited amount of water in our packs so that meant the second challenge was finding a water source wherever we camped.

As we began to look for a possible entrance to the canyon, my mindset began to change

I loved the openness of the land and the cool fall temperatures. I totally appreciated the feeling of the desert sun on my body.

Later in the day, I felt worried about relying on a mountain goat trail to take us into the canyon. We had a path about six inches wide to use as a viable path. Sometimes it was hard to see the next step. Luckily one of my companions was aware and was able to take some weight off my pack to help me move with more confidence.

The person we were following made it look easy to get over the rock, but we knew our exposure to the rock could quickly drop us to the bottom of the canyon if we took a wrong step. This was enough for the other person to give up, so we backed off and started looking for another option.

My mind shifted again, opening a portal of awareness.

We had started our trip with a heightened sense of adventure, and this was replaced by a charge of vulnerability mixed with gratitude for the ground beneath my feet, which was easier to navigate than the 6 inch wide path.

I had found another trail that took almost 4 hours to the bottom of the canyon. It was steep, rocky, precarious, and any time I could grab a plant or a root for support, I was grateful.

I moved slower than my friends and relied on them to find the easiest path up the rock. Eventually we reached a spot just above the wash and pitched our tent just as sunset did. I had found no water and made no food for the night.

I was fully aware of living with the elements and depending on my fellow travelers.

The person is standing by the water in the desert rock area arborsabroad.com via Shutterstock

In the morning, before coffee or fully waking up, we looked for water. The desert area we hiked in had rained a few days ago. We hoped that the cooler temperatures would preserve any precipitation that had collected in the naturally made sinkholes.

I crossed the wash and climbed to the top of a plateau. Here, I felt safe. There was enough water for several days, all we had to do was filter it.

As I sipped my coffee in the early morning sun, I had yet another shift in my mindset.

Our objective was to find pictographs and petroglyphs and we were not disappointed with the ancient rock art we found. Again, I slipped through another portal of awareness. It has not been filtered through our modern ways.

The next morning, we were off much faster and easier than we had been in the canyon. A the study in the Journal of Personality Research helps show how the three of us functioned fully present in every moment. I couldn’t replicate that experience if I wanted to, and those moments are no longer present, but the experience restored my gratitude for our ability to fully experience being human in the natural world.

I’ve learned a lot about how to manage stress and what it’s like to depend on another person’s skills when going through new experiences. Each of us entered a portal of awareness that offered expansive and grateful thoughts, ca supported by a study in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

Here are the benefits of an emotional break

You can experience less stress in your life when you take a break. The ability to take your mind to a place that is not operating from everyday fears and worries can lower your stress levels as well as shift your awareness to help you free yourself from your deepest fears.

1. Shifting focus improves mood

Mental breaks can improve your mood by focusing your attention on new possibilities and an expansive mindset.

Mental breaks can easily lift your mood. Think of a time when you were working hard on something and when you took a little break, you felt less pressure and a little more vibrant.

2. Connect with others more easily

It’s easier to connect with others when you step away from everyday life. It creates an opening of vulnerability that allows new experiences and people to enter your world.

3. Release the tension

A break from your stressful routine, especially if it’s associated with physical activity, can help release tension from your body and mind.

When I had my adventure, I was taking a break

I was taking a break from my day-to-day activities, selling a house, packing and being homeless for a bit. I needed to step away from my responsibilities. I got exactly what I was looking for, like demonstrated by research in the Behavioral Sciences Journal.

There are many ways to enjoy a mental break. Sometimes it’s a quick nap, a meditation, or a weekend getaway. I encourage you to find more ways to escape from everyday experience to reset your mind in a way that allows you to open a portal of awareness with joy, gratitude and inspiration.

Polly Wirum is a spiritual coach, psychic and practitioner of vibrational astrology. She teaches clients how to discover their truth through guided meditation and, in some cases, guided exploration of past lives.