Nearly 2 years later, magical memories of my First Descents (FD) experience are still so vivid. I can visually and viscerally take myself back to the grand, expanse of snow capped mountains, plush evergreens, daunting yet beautiful rock formations for us to climb…the acres of land nestled up a farm road with a panoramic view that was sprinkled with small cabins and a gathering spot for dinner picnics and evening bonfires where the tales of the day were told, snaps echoed for praise and encouragement, awards were given and FD tradition was revealed.

This experience shared below is told from the perspective of a caretaker, camp mom and yoga teacher on the trip...yours truly :)

Summiting the multi-pitch climb that overlooked all of Estes Park on our graduation day!

It’s difficult to digest what went down at our First Descents - Estes Park trip of a lifetime but it was so beautifully impactful, I’ll attempt to put the experience into words…

A commonality called cancer drew 25 soulmates together in a majestic mountain setting nestled in Estes Park, CO. We all showed up as strangers but bonded instantly like glue through shared experiences and challenges that threaten life, but also have the potential to create strong warriors who are out living it in BIG ways!

Trust in one another and the experience we signed up to embark upon happened the first night and then we dove into learning to climb the next day. We worked as a team, tribe and family to conquer fears, summit rocks (crags) and even a multi-pitch climb by the end of the week (send train, word!) We belayed while encouraging one another and then repelled 200 feet after our final ascent of the FD Dome.

Each day began with yoga and meditation which evolved into car karaoke on the way to climb, costumes and conversation while practicing our new found skills and the day ended with campfire and connection creating bonds more solid than the rocks we climbed.

The First Descents experience is an epic one that gives the gift of adventure, out living life fully but it’s ultimately all about the people and fast relationships formed because we all “get” each other. I truly love all these people after just a week together and I barely know their real names but I know their souls and stories and perfect nicknames (mine was Sprinkles, sometimes Sparkles:).

Although I showed up ready to help and pour out whatever I possibly could, I received so much love and support in return. I am so grateful for my week with this group and these memories and ties are the kind that last forever.

Sunrise Yoga - The participants opted to wake up at 6:00am for a sunrise practice one day!

Back to the present moment because that is all we know we have. Possibly as a by-product from the pandemic, I am now teaching online yoga and mindfulness for First Descents as a creative way to connect as a community, especially during times that prove difficult to adventure together.

Yoga means “union” of our body, mind and soul through mindful connection with our breath. This is a new kind of adventure where we learn to navigate our inner landscape through practices of movement, breathwork, meditation and self care, love and reflection.

The global pandemic and ongoing social unrest forces us to evaluate life and what the heck is going on with our values and within ourselves and our communities. It begins with each of us. Who are you today? Who are you despite or perhaps because of the challenges in your life? This is our chance to turn inward, to get intimate with ourselves so that we can be in tune with our ever-evolving world and worries and so we can join together in the midst of struggle through “new adventures” inspired by First Descents.

The power of adventure, connection and community.

Join your FD Family each week from 4 - 5:00 MST to connect, flow, and heal. You can also revisit previous practices on FD’s Facebook page.

Connection is like throwing a pebble into the pond and then watching it ripple outward. You can be one of those ripples through your commitment to this ongoing practice. Raise your vibration and share your light with others!

Week 1 - Body Connection (mellow, slow flow class for stressful times, best to do in the evening or when you would like a gentle, grounded practice)

https://www.facebook.com/120826974569/videos/560509881253772

Week 2 - Breathe and Receive (breathing strategies to help create peace and presence and learning to breathe within movement and poses)

https://www.facebook.com/120826974569/videos/278805693342377

Week 3 - Meditation and Mindfulness (meditation practices in stillness and movement that help us live more mindfully in the present moment)

https://www.facebook.com/120826974569/videos/582894772412912

For those interested, my connection to cancer is as a caregiver through a 9 year on-and-off journey with my late husband, Nate. We spent nearly a decade navigating aggressive treatments (immunotherapy, chemotherapy, biochemotherapy, radiation, T-VEC virus injections, 7 surgeries) that produced countless side effects (3 grand mal seizures, 3 visits to the ER, 1 Flight for Life to Denver, infertility, ups and downs of recoveries and adapting to new normals, the list goes on…).

This journey also led us to a more mindful and natural way of life. Navigating a world beyond cancer and in harmony with cancer while simply living life to the fullest was our focus. We still did a lot during those years dealing with the constant challenge of cancer. I often think it inspired us to build 2 coffee shops, a bike business, 2 bike teams and community that brought it all together.

Sadly, the story ends with Nate passing on from metastasis of Stage 4 Melanoma. I have moved forward into new life and love after years of heavily processing grief, traveling and learning about yoga therapy and myself. Today Lov Yoga exists as a rainbow after a long storm, a rebirth from learning through the school of hard knocks and in the traditional sense through Colorado School of Yoga and Inner Peace Yoga Therapy. Learn more about this at www.lov.yoga

With Love,

Sprinkles

The First Descents Family

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