My chalked fingers pushed into the grainy, brittle rock, rubbing raw against the simmering stone. The shouts of encouragement from my friends below were muffled by my concentration. As I looked up toward the rocks ridge, I glimpsed pink mountains rising above the chaparral valley. The ‘pink moment’ had been foretold all day, and it was finally happening. As I craned my head to see, the tiny speck of rock supporting my entire body weight gave way. I began to fall…

During my gap semester before starting college, I decided to live in Blue Cliff Monastery for two months. Blue Cliff Monastery was founded by Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh, a highly influential Zen Vietnamese monk. I decided to go because I wanted to practice mindfulness and routine. I also wanted to disconnect from the pressures of everyday life and the chaos of the world. At Blue Cliff I lived amongst the Monastics and other practitioners. It was here that I cultivated a strong practice of mindfulness and deep reflection. I was also able to rebuild my relationship with nature, and form a deeper connection…