finding my religion

transformation comes easy when the anticipation hits. it's not like a "training" run in town which does very little for my spirit and feels very corporate and necessary. a trip to the woods, however, is a different animal in itself. gearing up, packing a lunch/recovery drink. towel for after the soak and run. checking the maps. planning the route on google earth if it's a new run. the drive brings strength as i leave this valley and careen towards the mountains. snow capped peaks in my windshield even in june. singletrack hidden by another season revealing itself to me on the pit and the pat. the vibrations. the evolution that takes place within. there is nothing to me in this world like flowing along some singletrack on foot. it speaks to a former life, long lost culture. simpler times. i had it in brevard, sure, but it's different out here. i was there running with a mission in mind. it was as token as a my road runs from the house here. sure, i explored and enjoyed, but it was always with an intention upon some grand victory or accomplishment without recognizing the gifts in the accomplishment of the day. i read on mike's excellent site about the adventures being planned by sarah and adam. i think of the solstice gathering known as ALTAR and the spirit behind that. memories of mountain bridge. tapping into the beauty and the energy of the woods and the positive vibes surrounding those gatherings. i feel that when i hit the woods now. there is so much energy in this space. vibrations. flow. rhythms. movement on these trails is like a leaf falling from a tree into a creek and gently making its way on top of the water, flowing. moving with, not against. no fighting, no resistance, just moving. no aggressive words in the description.

i believe in this spirit. this feeling. this flow. i believe in the sanctity of the woods. the path. the domain. the whole ceremony that starts with deciding to go and ends when you turn the truck back towards your home and the woods are in your rear view mirror. belief in that feeling. there are no questions. no why. no cruel truths. no rights or wrongs. purity exists if the mind and mouth do not cloud the issue. sanctuary. church. temple.