Grand Canyon Dreams

(no audio) It is early evening here at Grand Canyon National Park. The sun is hovering low on the horizon. Its rays reflecting brilliantly off the orange and brown cliffsides. The air is still, peaceful and welcoming, far from the buzz of civilization. Within the canyon here at Havasupai Gardens, the only sounds that can be heard are those of the natural ecosystem, a quiet stream passing through the landscape, the chirps of native ravens and wrens, the wind through tall reeds of grass, the vast open sky above paired with the deep cavernous terrain of the park leaves visitors with an overwhelming sense of spaciousness and buoyancy, in the perfect conditions to pause, relax, and enjoy the bounties of nature. So as we settle in for tonight's journey, let's begin our evening with a short wind down exercise. Tonight's exercise is a really simple breathing exercise. So when you're ready, let's begin. So first, get yourself comfortable. Now just bringing the attention to the breath, just noticing where you feel it in the nose, the throat, the chest, the diaphragm. You're nice and relaxed. And we are going to be taking a deep breath in for four, holding it for four, and then breathing out for six. So, are you ready? Let's begin. In for four. Two, three, four. Hold it for four. Two, three, four. Breathing out for six. Two, three, four, five, six. In for four. Two, three, four. Holding for four. Two, three, four. Out for six. Two, three, four, five, six. In for four. Two, three, four. Holding for four. Two, three, four. Out for six. Two, three, four, five, six. In for four. Two, three, four. Holding for four. Two, three, four. Out for six. Two, three, four, five, six. Great. Now returning the breath to normal. (no audio) The north and south canyon rims are carpeted in a distinct light gray layer of Kaibab Limestone and peppered with irregular blobs of chert protruding from the rock around it. And much like the shore, embedded here and there are the remnants of marine life. The Southern Paiute people call this area Kaibab, meaning mountain lying down, as if it laid to rest after a long day under the desert sun. Dotting what was once a shallow seabed in the Kaibab formation are fragments of fossilized corals, sponges, and seashells. Nestled near the edge of the crest under the dappled shade of a ponderosa pine lies a small clamshell. Its finely pleated lines radiate outward like delicate origami, and the edges are chipped but softly rounded by the elements. A cool wind blows through the branches of the ponderosa and meanders south to a clearing where a single juniper is deeply rooted. Wedged between the clefts of smooth rock, it stands like the guardian of an unparalleled view. Its grooved trunk bends and twists, and its bright green needles quiver in the breeze. The small violet berries are clustered tightly on every branch among the...