Join me today as I renew my spirit in the Mojave Desert mountains. We’ll see gigantic Joshua trees and a Mojave boulder wonderland – walk through old growth Joshua Tree groves and connect with ancient spirits of the Mojave in today’s video.
Sunday is spiritual renewal day in my weekly wellness routine, and my favorite way to do that is by getting out into nature. It’s a beautiful day in the Mojave Desert mountains. On this pristine Sunday afternoon in February there is not a cloud in the crystal clear sky. I’m walking down my favorite lonely dirt road, I notice for the first time, one of most complex and ancient Joshua Trees I have ever seen.
It rises majestically from the ground in multiple trunks and branches, stretching in every direction. I’m captivated by the complexity of it. The intricate boughs and spikes create an incredible pattern against the cerulean blue sky. This Joshua tree is hundreds of years old, and has miraculously escaped the many fires that periodically come down from the Pine forest covered peaks of the Big Bear Mountains.
The trunks have collapsed and then continued to live creating incredible sculptural limbs, thrusting in every direction towards the sun. What a magnificent being, to live through centuries of scorching hot summers, frigid snowy winters, and the relentless wind of the Mojave Desert mountains. Within this gigantic Joshua Tree is a perfect little clearing, an ideal place to sit and take in it’s awe-inspiring beauty.
The name Joshua Tree, is attributed to Mormon settlers who crossed the desert in the mid 1800s. The spiky limbs reminded them of the biblical story of Joshua and his outstretched limbs, guiding the Israelites to their conquest of Caanan.
The species Yucca Brevifolia, is also called izote de desierto or desert dagger in Spanish The Spanish settlers were afraid of the deserts, with their deadly heat and deadlier indigenous tribes. They stayed mainly to the west of the mountain ranges.
The lush high-altitude desert is gorgeous, the sunbeams and shadows dance across the valley. The fresh desert mountain air is invigorating. I already feel revitalized just sitting here.
A bracing Northern wind bears down through the canyon and feels brisk and revitalizing. Here, granite boulders are strewn in every direction as if by a divine, but careless hand. They are evidence of prehistoric volcanic activity and they cleave and decompose in the most artful and beguiling formations. This trail is my favorite because of the profusion of boulders and flat-topped volcanic mesas; the only ones in California.
This area was heavily populated with indigenous people, and I feel their presence so strongly here. Over the years I have discovered millstones and petroglyphs here, the discovery of a connection of place to another time feels thrilling. Sadly most of the petroglyphs from down here at the bottom of the valley have been chiseled out and either sold or destroyed over the years. Within these Boulder formations are many caves and protected lookout points that would have made the perfect seasonal encampment for a tribal band.
This trail never disappoints, the panoramic vistas across the open Mojave Desert seem to stretch forever. On a clear day you can see all the way to Nevada; far across the open Mojave, across some of the toughest and most deadly terrain in North America. It’s hazy, now that the breeze has kicked up. These canyons provide the same protection from that harsh open desert today that they did eons ago. Even in the hot summer, there’s always a surprising amount of vegetation up here. Snowmelt from Big Bear eventually makes its way downhill in the form of rock springs.
It’s incredible the way to boulders cleave and break apart over time. Between gravity and seismic activity they certainly move, but is it in a geological or human time frame? So many times before, I have walked down this trail, but today one spot in particular beckons me. I feel so connected to this place, and the spirits of the prior inhabitants. As the sun descends, the copper and gold colors of the boulders start to emerge.
The sunbeams dance on the rocks, and they take on a velvety softness at this time, approaching the golden hour. Once again, I’m captivated by this place, and need to sit and appreciate this incredible location in space and time. I’m so grateful to be in this beautiful place, and have this peaceful moment to myself. When I sit on this boulder, I feel the raw energy of the earth.
The view is truly spectacular. The boulders seem to come alive in the afternoon sun. Everything that looked brown all day is now radiating gold and copper hues. It is so peaceful here; I feel a serenity I haven’t felt all week. A weight is lifting from me, and I can feel my spirit renewing.
The Mojave magic is soothing my soul. Here I’m once again called to meditate, and I don’t feel alone. Thank you for joining me. There is immense power in stilling your mind. I’m sure you remember the Maya Angelou quote: When you still your mind you will hear the voice of god.
Don’t deny yourself the most important messages of your life. Whether it’s from Jesus, the universe, infinite intelligence, or simply your own intuition and subconscious mind making new connections and conclusions, this information is easily drowned out by screens, alerts, mindless conversation and the like. Slowing down that racing stream of consciousness and being present is so much easier in an unspoiled natural environment.
When it comes to meditation, hypnosis, and mindfulness, slowing down the field of consciousness is your biggest initial goal. An over-stimulated, chaotic, fearful mind does not have the same cognitive and creative powers as one at peace. The stresses of each day and ongoing situations compound and build up into a sustained elevated stress level. This is what is making people sick, depressed, anxious, overweight, and addicted, insomniacs.
It’s an imperative that we wrench back control of our conscious and subconscious minds, and we can, but it takes repetition. When you start to meditate, and slow down that racing stream of consciousness you start to see thought patterns that no longer serve you. These patterns are neural grooves worn deep into our minds, brought upon by repetition and then taking on a life of their own.
The funny thing is though, that when you cultivate an awareness of them, they become powerless and liberation is sudden and swift. Because when we take on a new awareness, we wear a whole new neural groove, making the old one irrelevant.
Think about what makes you feel peaceful, calm, uplifted. When do you feel that way? What do you do that brings that on? Let those answers come in their own time. Take time at least once a week to do that thing that’s going to reset you, and fill up your spirit for another week. It’s one appointment you’ll never regret keeping.
I have to touch this incredible hunk of Mojave granite I’m sitting on. I can’t describe the sense of gratitude I have for being able to be here right now. What an unbelievable experience this has been. That was incredible.
The breeze kicks up as the sun descends. Late afternoon is when the coyote packs come out to hunt, and the rattlesnakes come out onto the trails to warm themselves. That’s a great time to get off the trail and enjoy a nice dinner cooked over an open mesquite wood fire.
With my spirit renewed I’m ready for another week. I’ve shared with you one day of my weekly wellness routine, what is yours? Do you have one? Maybe you have a weekly un-wellness routine if you’ve never thought about it before?
It’s critical to be intentional, and create a lifestyle that makes wellbeing, health, and happiness automatic and inevitable. I created Natural Lifestyle Optimization to make that easy for you.
Thank you for reading, and I hope at least once a week, you take time to renew your spirit.
Remember: an empty vessel cannot serve, and empty barrels make a lot of noise.
I’m Will Brennan, natural lifestyle expert, and founder of desert mountain apothecary: the desert apothecary for mind body and spirit.