Meditations From Mt. Axtell| A Sunset Special

Victoria Lise atop Mt. Axtell Colorado

Life is full of it

Full of so many things, feelings, ideals, judgements. A whirlwind of an experience made up of both the wonderful and devastating. My life in particular is incredibly wonderful, not without challenge, but privileged, blessed. Outside of my immediate realm though exists natural disasters, violence, war, greed, malice, hunger, racism, a world unimaginable but very real. And although I’ve seen some of these things firsthand, I’ve not experienced them as an everyday reality.  Often I wonder how to talk about these things, how to make them a part of the conversation but feel I don’t know enough or where to even begin. I understand these conversations can feel heavy, many feel helpless or can’t bear the weight on top of personal struggles.

Victoria Lise mediates at sunset atop summit

Yin and Yang

And sometimes I wonder if it’s even acceptable for me to highlight my personal interests and passions while there are so many other people and issues that need the volume and audience. While reflecting on Mt. Axtell it dawned on me that it’s just as vital to have outlets to release the heaviness we carry, the weight that builds, the questions we seek answers to. It is vital to cultivate joy and peace. Maybe withholding those things is a disservice in and of itself. This isn’t the first time I’ve crossed paths with this realization but a lesson I continue to intersect with.

Victoria Lise atop summit at sunsetVictoria Lise stands on horizon between land and sky

The World Outside My Door

At the same time the world is beautiful, quiet, and alive. There exists a world nearly unimaginable but in an entirely different sense. And it is just as real as the darkness. Maybe that is what is meant by balance.

Layers of Colorado Mountains Victoria LiseVictoria Lise atop Rocky Mountain at Sunset

 

Harvesting Peace

While I will never know all the answers (nor would I want too) I will continue to cultivate compassion, creativity, inspiration, and effective action where I can. I will continue to learn the ways of the wise ones before me and when its time I will harvest the lessons and replant them.

Victoria Lise The Hills Are Alive

Not All Who Wander Are Lost | Mt. Axtell
These shots were taken atop Mt. Axtell during the magic hour.  For more photos from the summit and basic travel info, go here.
Behind the lens: Alex T.

Victoria Lise and dog, Styx sunset summit

How do you stay grounded in chaotic times? Leave your words of wisdom below!

As always, thank you greatly for joining me here♥

Wishing you all Peace♥

Find me on Instagram and Pinterest!

18 Comments

  1. Wow these pictures are breathtaking

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks so much, Courtney! x

      Like

  2. You look magical and the mere fact that you WANT to talk about these issues makes all the difference in the world.
    https://kerielaine.com
    Keri Elaine

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so very much, Keri! I deeply appreciate your support and joining in the conversation. Hope you’re having a wonderful week! xx

      Like

  3. Both the photos and your words are absolutely beautiful! Loved reading through this so much xox
    maria | whatismaria.com

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much, Maria! I greatly appreciate your kindness and support. And I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Hope you have a wonderful day! xx

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Thank you so very much Tori for inspiring us all to find the balance. Yes, it can be soo very tough but we are soo very blessed!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you! Absolutely!

      Like

  5. Debi walls

    I find balance by reading ur wise words and admiring ur fabulous photos 🍭

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Awe I’m glad. Thank you!

      Like

  6. Beautiful post and reflections. I think that being aware of the need for balance and being grateful for what we have are two important ingredients for happiness.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I like that, I will have to write it down and use it as a reminder from time to time. Thank you for your support and insights, I am very appreciative!

      Like

  7. What a beautiful post Victoria. You’re right – the ying and yang of life. There always have to be the opposite forces and the more we keep focussing on beauty in the World around us, the more beauty we’ll notice. It’s also important to recognise the horrors and not bury them under the rug.. You do an amazing job of highlighting beauty and illuminating some great causes that we all need to be more aware of. The Ying and Yang… xx

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you so very much, Wendy! It’s so true what you write “there has to be opposite forces” I am no scientist but I think that is how it all works. I am deeply grateful for your support and joining in the conversations that aren’t always as delightful as others. I appreciate our friendship as you were my first wordpress friend and you have taken the online world by storm with your brilliant mind and spirit. I love that we can share these exchanges from so far away. Hope you are having a wonderful week! xx

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Oh Victoria – what a wonderful comment and do you know.. it’s just what I needed to hear. I feel I’ve gone a bit lack lustre (as they say here in the UK) and growing my blog is definitely slower than I would like since I went self hosted. So to hear your words is a real pick me up! Thank you!! You were the first person to follow me when I set up my blog – gosh about 19 months ago now and I absolutely love and value the connection we share as blogging friends on different continents. Blogging has truly opened up my World and I love hearing about the things you share – it’s important to be aware of what’s going on outside of what we’re given access to on T.V. I’m having a lovely week and really hope you are too.. You live in a beautiful corner of the World Victoria and your photo’s are stunning. Sending you love, a hug and angel blessings my dear friend! xxx

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Beautifully written with beautiful pictures full of spirit and wisdom.
    The world can is a beautiful, although there are many issues at hand. I believe in the power of one and that we each have the ability to contribute positively and inspire change. Life is hectic at times and we can only give so much. A healthy balance is key and for me it is a connection with Mother Earth and the outdoors itself. To be still, in peace, to listen to the wind, feel the sun and to spend time in solitude.
    Wishing you many peaceful moments and thank you for inspiring us. Hugs

    Like

    1. Thank you!! 😘😘😘

      Like

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