Today marks a full year since I had an accident in the Cairngorms. Ami had escaped me and I went off looking for him. The ground was so wet, rain and wind pelting from every side that I doubted he could hear me. As I neared him, I saw him tumble and I yelled and sped towards him. The ground gave way. In a heartbeat I was swept down a cliff side with wet moss and mud, in an instinct I shot my left arm out to catch at anything. I stopped sliding. My hand gripped slick, wet rock, my boots sliding on a ledge no more than a foot wide, at a 45 degree angle. My footing kept slipping and there was no way even to turn around. I had to accept that the only way down, the fall, would probably kill me. After about 30 minutes, I was able to signal to people that I was there, the ledge blocking me from sight but a luminous dog lead could be seen along with my shouting just heard above the wind. Six hours later, I was assisted to abseil down, colder than I have ever been. Shoulder wrenched, knee smashed, but alive and cold (the dog was quite happy at the ranger station). It hit me hard, mentally. I knew I was well prepared, layered, hat, full body waterproofs, good boots, and supplies, but I still got into trouble. But anyway, I still flash back to that moment, I don’t want this post to be about this. Alone for so long, facing the unknown, one misstep away from a fall, I had nothing to do but go inwards. Deep breathing got me through. And in that clarity, I was face to face with what I wanted to come down for. So often we see the world for what it is not, and our lies about the world can be so strong. We get to caught up in illusion that we can not admit that the things we see are lies. This became a real point of clarity. Now, I’m not saying you should get in critical danger. My gosh no. But all the things I tell myself and beat myself with around things like body image, where I think I should be in my “career,” and clutching to the memories of every bad decision I’ve ever made, that all fell away. Unimportant. Consuming no energy. And it felt liberating. . . As always, I am beyond grateful for the Mountain Rescue team that saved me. #clarity #yoga #cairngorms #kiltedyoga