Make It Effortless?

September 3: Make it effortless. If you have ever achieved this—in your yoga, your running, your lifting, or whatever training you do—you know the feeling. Your body may be sweating, your muscles will be sore tomorrow, and you are flowing through effortlessly. It can take considerable strength to achieve effortlessness. However, it is strength of focus—not muscle—that brings you to this point.

Last night we camped at Seema, at slightly over 11,000 feet. Today we will be going over the Darwa Pass, and begin our descent, camping overnight at Dodital. It sounds so easy, effortless. It won’t be.

Before we leave, Aaron reminds us to breathe through our noses; taking breath in through the mouth begins to activate the lower chakras; you “move into survival mode.” The climb out of camp is steep, and within minutes I am breathing through my mouth. This is not effortless. Sometimes, the only thought can be, “Where do I plant my pole? Where do I take my next step? Where do I plant my pole for the support that I need, and so it doesn’t become wedged? Where do I plant my foot so there is a place to plant my next foot.” Even these thoughts sometimes just skim the consciousness. I am panting, breathing deeply through my mouth. And I stop.

Finding Aaron, I ask for a refresher on breathing through my mouth. It will be days later that I realize my starts have been fueled by adrenaline; once I learn to control that, I am able to maintain my breath as I should. Now, with intention and attention to my breath I begin to move forward again. We switchback our way up toward the pass. It becomes effortless. My mind opens back up, and I know that this—make it effortless—is the mantra not only for this journey, but for what I am seeking here. I don’t know what that means, or how to do it, in terms of my quest, so record the observation in my journal.

We stop at Darwa Pass where we eat lunch at approximately 13,000 feet. The descent is steep, muddy. We encounter a family herding water buffalo. As I observe them, their smiles, I understand that they have so much less than I do, and so much more. I begin to think about the importance of letting go. Tonight at Dodital I journal on how so much unhappiness is the result of “need” and expectation, both of which are artificial creations of our culture. I begin to record what I have been letting go of: dry shoes, dry feet, dry clothes. Letting go of all the scents we put on our bodies in various guises. Letting go of hot showers, or any showers. Letting go of being in control. It is small, it is temporary, it is experimental. Yet it is important.

I sleep with a smile on my face.