Galentine Gals

Snowshoeing along the trails in Wasatch State Park over Valentine’s weekend is simply divine. Our bodies are encased in the warmth of wool hats, down jackets and ski pants while our noses are exposed to the freezing crisp mountain air delighting in the pine scents and fireplaces off in the distance. There is nothing more pleasant to me than a warm heart and a cold nose!

I have a need to move.

I plan things on walks.

I problem solve on yoga mats.

I provoke thoughts to surface on hikes.

It’s who I am.

In February, 2020 our lovely friend Maureen from Pennsylvania arrived for a Winter’s visit. She has wonderful frenetic energy just like me! You know, the kind of energy that requires movement in the morning before the afternoon activity, and then movement in the late afternoon before the evening meditation. (It can be a curse sometimes… but we both have long accepted this about ourselves.) 

I once read that, “Our bodies are molecular structures that vibrate at very high speed and our cerebral matter is a hub similar to an electronic switching station. In other words, our brains don't think; we think with our brains. As we activate our brain cells, we set up a vibration in our bodies.” (Lopez, Christina. 2020 Balance - Live Well)

In any case, we enjoyed a wonderful hike through the mountains one afternoon during her visit with us. At the end of our hike, we came upon the Galentine Gals! Now, we didn’t know the Galentine Gals, but you wouldn’t have thought that if you had been a third party hiker. The Galentine Gals consist of a gaggle of women who laugh and live loudly! At the time, we were thinkin’ that we may have finally met our frenetic match. We introduced ourselves, described how we met Maureen just 8 months prior at a yoga retreat in Italy and now we’re snowshoeing in the mountains of Utah! 

Before we knew it, we were sharing a swig of champagne (because when you’re with the Galentine Gals, you gotta have a spare bottle of champagne!) and just like that, our vibrational molecular structure was in motion! Our trailway intersection had attracted like-minds and bodies and although the taste of champagne could still be detected upon our palate and blood stream, we each knew our pathways required completion and so, we continued on our path - Galentine Gals ascended upwards and we descended downwards. 

This was an unexpected meeting.

A gift of laughter.

A high speed molecular exchange of energy.

One year later, at the exact same bench, we met up with the Galentine Gals again!

No advance warning, no exchange of contact info, no pre-arranged meeting dates, no planned advanced directives of any kind. In February 2021, over the Valentine’s weekend my husband and I took the dogs out for a day of hiking. Nearing the end of our hike, we began our descent from the mountain. We rounded a corner where trail etiquette requires one hiker to yield to the other, allowing them to pass. When we looked up, we recognized familiar smiles and voices. Their laughter clearly indicated that in the spot where we exchanged our initial introductions one year (and one pandemic) prior, we had come to the place where our paths synchronistically would cross again. They remembered details from the previous year. They remembered Italy and Maureen. They even asked how she was! We repeated the ritual of sharing a sip of champagne and exchanged a few more stories. Then, with somewhat sad anticipation, we continued with our descent down the mountain as they continued with their ascent. 

Once again, Maureen and her daughter are heading to Utah this February. This time, we’re gathering for the Writer’s Movement retreat held in Moab. With our hearts full we will celebrate our joy. With our bodies, we will move and be moved through yoga practices and hiking adventures throughout southern Utah taking in the beauty of the rich, red rocks. With intention to explore the stories within, awaken dormant thoughts and imaginative expression we look forward to our camaraderie and love exchange.

We have 3 spots left if you would like to join co-leader Jeannette and I. You can join us by registering HERE.

In case you do not have access to an outlet of calming the nervous body, or you seek grounding due to an abundance of energy, or you simply seek a mindful presence. I offer you a series of videos that I’ve recorded and my son, Benjamin Conn, has edited. They are called: Pranayama Shorts. 

Although they sound like a cool brand for culottes, they are actually abbreviated recorded “shorts” that allow you to begin various practices of Pranayama. They are a great way to start or end your day.

Pranayama is the practice of breath regulation. It's a main component for physical and mental wellness. In Sanskrit, “prana” means life energy and “yama” means control. The practice of pranayama involves breathing exercises and patterns. 

This offering blends pranayama breathing patterns with our energy chakras. 

I think you will enjoy them.

You can purchase the series HERE