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| Innsbruck; Room with a View |
I also wanted to visit my cousin, her hubby and puppy close to Innsbruck which is surrounded by the Tyrolean Alps. From Vienna, I traveled to Judenburg, then via Mur Valley to Tamsweg and on to Innsbruck mostly by busses and trains and short rides from relatives (thank you!!).
The day before seeing my cousin, we took a tram up the Alps surrounding Innsbruck and hiked down to a rest station where chickens and cows roamed freely; we had lunch there, then we continued our walk "downAlp only" to the tram station mid-mountain. I just was not in the mood for “serious hiking.” Well, the Alps taught me a lesson; it had to do with balance, and downhill only is serious; my body was about to tell me.
While I loved seeing the beautiful cows 🐃, Regal was a bit angsty (I am still not sure whether it was real or he was pulling my leg, I grew up on a farm and love cows) especially about two in the distance standing on a very narrow path:-). How would we move past them?, he wondered. He did have a point. However, when we got there they had moved off the path into the bushes! I stopped to admire them, but they were clearly occupied nourishing themselves, they are used to hikers anyway.
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| A collage from the hike |
There was not an even area to be able to rest and do extensive decompress, but I did what I could; some facial reflexology, some shaking out my limbs; stopping for a few seconds, being comforted by Regal, taking one step at a time. It caused great distress but I had no choice but get calm, synchronizing movement with my breath; what else could I do?
We were also a bit under time pressure because we still needed to make it to the cable car to return to town before it closed although we heard that there was also a bus one could take.
The following days I often wound up walking backwards down stairs in Innsbruck and then later on in Berlin, the next leg of our journey. My legs were so sore, it was painful and very humbling, but also a very funny sight of course. I did not use it against my cousin for making a comment about me being a yogini :-), when she saw me do that followed by my explanation.
Although I practice primarily yoga and self touch Reflexology mostly daily, my yoga is gentle.
I have never been very athletic, so why did I think that I could hike the Alps without proper footwear especially down hill? They can not be compared to the hikes I have been on. And I never ever in my life have done long stretches of down hill walking only. Made so much sense to me; the aha moment; oh the legs got used only in one way, ouch my body/mind said after I fell and went into crisis mode (the shutting down). Of course, I am not 100% sure that this was happening, but given the innate wisdom I would not be surprised, I also have become aware of some of my patterns...
Although I practice primarily yoga and self touch Reflexology mostly daily, my yoga is gentle.
I have never been very athletic, so why did I think that I could hike the Alps without proper footwear especially down hill? They can not be compared to the hikes I have been on. And I never ever in my life have done long stretches of down hill walking only. Made so much sense to me; the aha moment; oh the legs got used only in one way, ouch my body/mind said after I fell and went into crisis mode (the shutting down). Of course, I am not 100% sure that this was happening, but given the innate wisdom I would not be surprised, I also have become aware of some of my patterns...
For a bit of comfort (going up by tram) I paid a price and yet, I was very lucky. The fall could have been worse. I do not remember how long that feeling of disconnect lasted, since for some reason I did not include anything in the draft started immediately afterwards except for the very sore muscles
and the walking backwards down stairs.
and the walking backwards down stairs.
Here is something that can not be stressed enough:
“As we age, the information sent to the brain from the soles of our feet becomes less reliable, which can lead to a loss of balance control and a higher risk of falls.
According to a Seniors' Falls in Canada report, falls are the leading cause of injury among Canadians age 65 and older. Nearly 1 in 3 seniors experience one fall per year. Research suggests that these accidents are the direct cause of 95% of hip fractures.”
The findings from Hypersole add to the knowledge that could eventually be used to develop aids and corrective devices for older adults on Earth experiencing balance problems.” (http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/iss/hypersole.asp)
- And of course, a wellness routine for the feet can be of great support counteract the impact of aging. In a recent article I contributed in the ICR Newsletter, I shared that I found through research that there are more than 200.000 nerve endings on the sole of the foot. It never hurts to be kind to our feet; they are the foundation of our anatomical structure and home of thousands of nerve endings.
Thank you as always for your visit,
B.
Thank you as always for your visit,
B.
- Director ICR (https://icr-reflexology.org/)
Reflexology & Y.O.G.A. Your Own Guru Always
Private Clients/Corporate/Communities
- NYC-based/International
A few mindful breaths can at times allow for more ease...
at a park in Innsbruck after the hike
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