ML - Aspen Peak

2015 - Issue 1 - Summer

Aspen Peak - Niche Media - Aspen living at its peak

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photography courtesy of aspen skiing company/daniel bayer (sundeck) sickness, and it was a place for spirituality." Ute tribe members would often sit in sweat lodges in or around Glenwood, he says, or go on vision quests in the moun- tains. Today, Frost travels from his home in Durango to lead monthly "sweats" at the Yampah Vapor Caves. He hopes that by reintroducing Ute traditions, the history and ceremony of the area's native people will be per- petuated. "Sweating is for healing, for finding peace within [one's self ], for fostering a special connection to the spirit and the Creator and to good will, and for the cleansing of one's body," he says. In Aspen, caring for the body and the spirit are often one and the same. This connection to a higher power comes in many forms. For some it is skiing or hiking. For others the connection happens through the practice of yoga. "Wellness is an energetic and emotional satisfac- tion and physical vitality," says Gina Murdock, founder of the Aspen Yoga Society, who, along with her husband Jerry, sponsors the Mind, Body, Spirit Series at The Aspen Institute. "A lot of the work I've been doing is about self-inquiry and healing unresolved issues that block the divine light of who we are as beings." The Murdocks started the Aspen Yoga Society first as an addendum to The Aspen Institute's summer pro- gramming before expanding it as a way to further knit the Aspen community together. Fortunately for Murdock, and the valley at large, the Aspen commu- nity includes wellness advocates like part-time Aspenite and Academy Award-winning actress Goldie Hawn. Hawn was the keynote speaker at a Murdock Om to the Mountain Find mindfulness and elevated asanas at the apex of Ajax. "Being connected to the spiritual aspect of wellness is implied in yoga. [It requires you] to listen to your inner guide," says Aspen yoga instructor Emily Hightower. "Especially in the modern landscape, it's important to quiet the ever-busy mind and pull the spirit back home." Hike up or take the Silver Queen Gondola to the top of Aspen Mountain for an hour of open-air, hatha yoga on the Sundeck. Guided sessions, free and open to the public, take place Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, at 10:20 am, June through August. For reservations, visit aspensnowmass.com. 142  aspenpeak-magazine.com

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