Harmony in the Himalayas
At the end of last year, I went trekking in Nepal, and tucked in my pocket was The Harmony Deck. Most mornings, I’d pull a card. It became an important moment of anchoring and reassurance before stepping into the unknown.
An Adventure
This was no gentle vacation… It was an adventure that made me feel utterly alive, completely unprepared, and just a little bit terrified all at once.
Flying High
The day we flew from 2,000 to 11,000 feet, we each pulled a card.
Anni got the Lung Meridian card, and wow, were her lungs about to be tested.
Two of us pulled the Large Intestine Meridian card.
One pulled the Stomach Meridian card.
We’d only been in Nepal a couple of days… and our digestive systems knew it.
The accuracy was uncanny. Lungs and digestion, exactly what we needed.
Into the Upper Mustang Valley
We were heading into the remote Upper Mustang Valley, scattered with tiny hamlets and monasteries, deep in the vast Himalayan mountains.
Our guide was absolutely delightful… and at the same time, didn’t inspire confidence.
On the first day, he couldn’t find the trailhead, nor did he have a map. (You can imagine what that did to my nervous system.)
Thankfully, my sister Skye, along with her friends, Anni and KP, are seasoned mountaineers and they had a map and the wherewithal to lead, and yet every day brought more of the unexpected:
Route changes. Altitude. Snow. Rain. River crossings. Scrambles. Thunderous landslides A truly harrowing jeep ride…
I did say it was an adventure!
Altitude Sickness
On day three, I was hit hard with altitude sickness, shivering when it wasn’t cold, a churning stomach, and tears that came out of nowhere and just kept coming.
That day, I had forgotten to pull a card.
That day, I just needed Skye.
She didn’t try to fix it or rush me. She got me warm, made sure I drank, stayed close, and nurtured me.
Me and Skye
Sheer Drops
Close to the last day, we were on narrow paths with sheer drops, loose rocks below, and sections where the trail had crumbled away. My heart raced. Tears came back. Then I remembered the card I’d pulled that morning:
Spleen Meridian: “I have faith and confidence in my future.”
I paused. Let the words land, very literal!
Interestingly, the Spleen meridian begins at the foot, which felt like exactly what I needed for support at that moment, as there was nothing but air beneath me as parts of the path had disintegrated.
Step by step, sometimes holding the hands of my fellow hikers, I kept going.
Ripple Effects
Small daily actions ripple out.
Some days, that support comes from a card.
Some days, it comes from the people beside you.
Either way, it’s a reminder, you don’t have to do it all alone.
Pulling a card each morning might be small, but it creates a thread of support that runs through your entire day… it’s like someone has your back.
Travel
Even in the in-between moments, airports, waiting, in transit, I played patience with the cards, stayed off my phone, and found a little entertainment for myself.♠️❤️♦️♣️
✨ I can’t wait for you to experience The Harmony Deck in your own life, the quiet, the messy, and everything in between.
Breathing deeply,
Saci