Photo Dump: Day of Silence and Climbing a Mountain

On March 28, the Saturday before Holy Week began, I took a day of silence.

I first learned about silent retreats at JVC Orientation last July. We had a 2 day silent retreat in the middle of our program. At first I feared it would be dreadfully boring and leave me feeling very lonely. I was suspicious of silence in religious life because I come from a tradition where spirituality it expressed through making noise. But I was surprised as over the course of the two days I felt calm and refreshed. Silent retreats are a big part of Jesuit Spirituality. Jesuits have to go through a 30 day silent retreat called the Spiritual Exercises, which was designed by St. Ignatius himself. Silence helps us to shut up and listen, because God shouts only rarely. In general, Big G prefers to whisper. So by seeking silence, it can become easier to hear that voice.

For me, tiring exercise like long runs or hikes helps me to empty my mind of all the stresses, voices, and distractions. It's a good way for me to get in touch with myself and with God. So my silent retreat on Saturday focused hiking up one of the mountains next to the town. The hike was stunningly beautiful. While I've saved a few pictures for Belleza por Todos Lados posts, I'm putting most of them here to better knit the images together.


As usual, click on the images to see them in a slightly larger version.

The first vista on the way up. You'll probably see lots of pictures of Andahuaylillas from the sides of mountains, but it's just so beautiful that I can't help but take photos.

The view across the valley. Those roads are for another climb.

Here's what the road up looks like. It gets even bumpiers and completely undriveable farther up.

I was really surprised to find that some people have chakras (fields) on near the top of the mountain. There were also fields of flowers. I ate my lunch surround by yellow flowers and buzzing insects. I thought the top of the mountain would be quiet and dead, instead it was alive and full of sounds. I was the quietest thing up there.

There was even a small structure up at different the chakra.

Another chakra.

Another view of Quispicanchi valley

Viva Andahuaylillas!

The summit! 13, 123 feet above sea level. 

The view from the tip-top of the mountain. You can see Andhaylillas, Huaro farther up the road, and way up the road curving around to the left you can see a bit of Urcos (the captical of the valley).

This is how close the sky is when you're standing at 13,123 feet.

This mountain is named Qoriorko, which means Mountain of Gold. You can understand the name when the sun hits it the right way in the afternoons. The people say that it takes care of Andhuaylillas. I wouldn't be surprised to learn if it affects the weather patterns and protects the town from storms. Heavy weather never comes over Qoriorko, it always comes up the valley from Urcos or down from the communities (which would be behind me when I took ths photo) 

Looking over the side of the mountain into the next valley.  

Lunch. A mango, hierba luisa tea (lemongrass), cheese, and sourdough flatbreads (from a bread book Mom sent down that arrived a few days before this hike).

I thought this shade structure made from old branches was pretty cool.