Love, Oneness, and the Chamisa Trail: Kua's first hike

I attended a yoga class this week on 11.11.11.  Besides the amusement of writing out the date, and the dance of the tongue saying “eleven eleven eleven,” what’s the importance of 11.11.11 anyway?  The instructor explained that the significance lies in the fact that the day is made up entirely of ones.  Oneness.  One is all and all is one.  The idea that every being on the planet is connected. 

Oneness is a difficult concept for me to grasp because I can’t seem to get past the notion that we are all separate beings, moving and working independently, often unaware of our connections to the world, focused to a greater extent on the future and the past rather than the present.  Yet I feel an overwhelming sense of purposefulness, energy, and joy in the moments in which “oneness” with the world is apparent, in those experiences when people of different backgrounds and personalities are united toward the same common purpose, even if for a short period of time.  I feel centered and connected when creating music with other people, each person making their own contribution toward the “oneness.”  I feel connected in yoga and Nia, when everyone moves and works together with the same goal in mind.  While hiking, I feel connected to others who have hiked these trails before me, those who will follow my footsteps in the future, and with the earth in general as I acknowledge and appreciate her natural beauty.

Which leads me to today’s hike... the Chamisa Trail.  This was quite an enjoyable hike.  It was relatively easy, with one or two challenging uphills.  I chose this hike because 1) I am still recovering from Santa Fe Baldy, 2) I would be driving by myself, and this hike doesn’t require driving very far up the mountain, and 3) it was my new puppy’s first hike.  Kua did so well!  She was skittish at first, but soon got the hang of it and warmly accepted every compliment she received from fellow hikers.  I was so proud of her!

Dogs can really teach us how to live in the present moment while hiking.  When Kua hikes, she enthusiastically absorbs every sight, sound, smell, feel, and, yes, even taste that she experiences.  She joyfully trots along the path without regard to how far we’ve gone, how much longer we have left to go, or what we’re going to do when we get home today.  She is entirely focused on the journey rather than the destination.  Her energy is seemingly unending, and she encouraged me to pick up the pace.  I found myself smiling constantly at her energy and love.

This concept of love ties back in with my 11.11.11 yoga class.  The instructor went on to explain that “oneness” is love, which brings us all together.  A dude named Jesus came along and told us to love.  A dude named Buddah came along and told us to love.  Love is the emotion that comes most naturally to us.  Just look at puppies like Kua… so full of love!  Maybe if people were more like puppies, the world would be a better place.

To love, peace, and puppies.