Magical Spaces and Places – Waterton National Park

Tanya Gill: 00:00:08

Hi friend, I'm Tanya Gill Welcome to Lighten Up and Unstuck your What the fuck. Together we explore the ways through life's stickiness moments, and how to live with more peace, joy, love and gratitude. We're going to talk honestly about what isn't easy so you can discover the light within you that will carry you forward. My friend This podcast is about you in real life, your body, mind and soul and the opportunity to not only live your best, but shine and doing it

Tanya Gill: 00:00:49

alrighty, my friends welcome to lighten up and unstuck your What the fuck? Today I want to ask you a really important question. And that is this. Do you believe in magic? For me, magic happens when I'm present enough to experience a high frequency version of art. And in truth, that version of art isn't you and you are the magic. I am the magic and we are all magic. I've always been super clear that perfectly imperfect, is about mind, body and spirit. And this episode is about bringing those pieces together so that you can see the magic in your life. rediscover your magic maybe, and hear my story of tiny samples of magic in my life. And I want to invite you to where I was when I wrote what I'm about to share. I wrote the wind is rustling in the trees the sound of a creek gurgles nearby and Cameron Falls is in the distance. A squirrel is chirping assertively at a couple Cerd in the shade with their books, I can see Mount vme over my computer screen and the wind. It's rarely still in Waterton reminds me that change is a constant, and you can't control everything. You just have to flow with it. So for several days, my family and I in various versions had an incredible experience of spending the better part of two weeks in the magical environment of Waterton Lakes National Park. Remember when I said magic happens? Well, it does happen but magic rarely happens unless you're present enough to experience that high frequency version of awe. So stay with me. I'm gonna break it down a little bit for you in past episodes, I've talked about my acronym help that unstuck in your What the fuck is based in these four critical elements, no matter what your what the fuck is help is basically my fancy ass acronym for honor, empathy, love and presence. And I want to start with presence because they don't happen in order. Magic can really only happen when you're paying attention. And that doesn't just mean with your eyes. Presence is being aware in yourself and your body to connect with what you're doing feeling smelling, hearing, tasting, and even sensing intuiting or experiencing in any other realm of knowing. Mind Body, and I said it spirit. But just think about a time. Think about a time when you were present enough to experience Ah, it happens when one or many of our senses connect positively with an experience. We can only experience ah, when we're totally present, because otherwise life is just kind of fucking happening to us. Did you notice that I tossed in the word positively. Yeah, we absolutely can experience negative ah, I'm not saying that doesn't exist. But those are called what the fox and they create a negative frequency. So it's not magic. So okay, let's talk about frequency for a second. Everything and every one has a frequency. In humans. We're wired to be able to connect with one another frequency and I can guarantee that you've experienced it. You walk into a tense room you may be able to describe it as being able to cut the air with a knife. You walk into a romantic wedding a total The different experience, energetically, the frequency is different. And you've also probably experienced a toddler in the grocery store. And you know that their frequency was affecting the frequency of others, and likely, especially the moms. Here's the funny thing, that mom likely just needs an empathic smile someone to say I've been there may be an offer of assistance, and someone to be present for her and her kid for just a second on her empathy, love and presence for a second. And guess what, it creates magic. And it changes that frequency to positive energy. When we experience

Tanya Gill: 00:05:49

a high frequency of ah, that mom, for example, may have experienced a high frequency of all when she receives a little bit of acknowledgment from you. It may mean being seen without judgment, experiencing empathy, kind of eye contact from another human, or whatever else she needed at that point, delivered with love. That's magic. What I want to point out is that odd doesn't just happen in experiences like the personal one I'm about to share with you. Today, I'm honored to share magic with you that brings together some stories of my past with my present, and show the various layers of magic and invite you to consider your own. By the time this airs, I along with various versions of my family will have returned from having spent an incredible two weeks in a place that I call energetic magic. If you've never been to Waterton Lakes National Park don't go. That's right, don't go. I'm kidding. Parks Canada would never want me to say that. But I do love how quiet and unknown it really is. Waterton Lakes National Park is a hidden gem. It was actually Canada's fourth national park, but it's the smallest. And it's on the Canadian side of Waterton glacier International Peace Park. So it's bordering Montana. I know I said don't go. But I also know that when we love something, we want to share it. So the cool thing is that this is my way of sharing water to magic with you. Some may say that the magic of Waterton is in her essence. The park is actually on traditional Blackfoot territory. And the traditional Blackfoot name for Waterton Lakes is buchtel moksa Gimme it means the inner sacred lake within the mountains. If you've been to Washington and experienced her magic, you can understand why the knit Saffy or the Blackfoot peoples named her so aptly. Her inner sacred lake within the mountains is magic. Now, I'm going to talk about Waterton. But I want you to think about places where your mind body and spirit come together to experience magic. sacred spaces and places exist all around us. Maybe you visited once, frequently or even live in a space that is magical for you. Clearly water tennis a sacred space for me. My first time there was all the way back in January of 1993. Oh my god, you guys. I've been dating my first husband John for a few months. And the winter blues hit us. We were cuddled in a single Rez bed in the middle of the night and he was telling me all about his love of water. Tim is adventures as a Bellman at the historic Prince of Wales hotel. And he was telling me stories about the Knights of the bell desk drawings of an elevator basement hotel and we were laughing at the weird ways that we leave our mark in the world. And interestingly enough, it wasn't long before we were actually parting ways and agreeing to meet 15 minutes later with overnight bags packed and headed to that mysterious place that he was talking about Waterton now it was the middle of winter. And on a clear day. It's an easy hour and a half to Waterton from Lethbridge. So we assumed it would take a little bit longer because it was nighttime and there was a little bit of snow. But I'll tell you it was in the days before those handy apps for roads and weather. And I'm telling you there might have been a little bit of snowfall When we left the city, but at certain soon holy crap turned into blowing snow and icy roads and we were driving in the darkness, like the dumb young kids we were. And despite that blinding snow in the darkness in the middle of the fucking night, we drove on and the roads got worse. And the wet snow thickened. And as we entered the park gates, it was as if entering a snow fortress walls of snow literally waist high or higher, white bordering this narrow, winding road, like seriously, as far as I can tell, Waterton may have simply been where we were stranded, if we got there in one piece.

Tanya Gill: 00:10:44

You know, I'll admit, like I felt so much comfort in knowing that John had safely driven that road many times he was mindful of speed, and we were crawling along that windy park road toward the town site. But I'll tell you the glow of the road and the reflection of the headlights back at the car. And literally, the sheets of snow coming out as blindly. I was thinking to myself, as we were slowly winding our way toward the townsite. His enthusiasm was a little bizarre. I start to wonder sometimes if his enthusiasm was that he was trying to ease his own anxiety of the drive. But I'll tell you, he kept pointing out into the white of the night, the black and white of the night. All this enthusiasm around what I couldn't see, he was like, oh, there's cookie Browns grave, and there's the horse barns and over there is the cemetery most people don't know exist. And that's past Creek. We used to sing campfire song nights there. And he was pointing out all of these places, including famous bear Psalm. And all I could see was the white in the black of the night. And I'm thinking to myself, please just get me there in one piece. What I knew, though, was as he was describing it, even if it was to pass the time, or a way to calm his own nerves, because the roads were actually treacherous. I could feel that I was entering something special. And I knew that as our pace was slowing to a crawl. There was magic here, somehow. But really, my introduction wasn't that magical. If you could have seen the passion with which John carefully drove and spoke lovingly about Waterton and remained calm on those crazy fucking roads to go there in the middle of a stormy winter night to have Waterton and share her with me. You'd start to get it. We pulled up to a small hotel, the calamari Lodge, and it felt like a quieter, creakier and warmer version of new heart coupled with a tattoo of Hitchcock. Like let's be real, it was dark, scary, isolated the middle of the night and I kind of expected some version of Larry Daryl and Daryl to jump out of the darkness with Freddy Krueger claws. It was bizarre to be there. And yet something felt good. Inside the dim hotel lobby was a warm and inviting lounge clearly closed for hours to the one or two guests that may have been at the lodge at the end of the road and a reading room. And then there was that vacant desk ahead. We stopped the snow off our shoes and trudge toward the ring bell for service sign. And I'll tell you looking at that little dome. Like we were about to use an air horn in the still of the night. John rang the bell and it echoed and I'm not kidding you. I waited. You know at that point, I'll admit we were young kids and I was nervous to be getting a hotel room in the middle of the night. Only cash in hand. And we didn't even own credit cards. I was relieved that we were there safely because it was touching go a couple of times. But the fact that this was gonna actually be my first time sharing a hotel room with a guy, my boyfriend but still made it feel anything but magical, because I was a little intimidated. I don't think I had any expectations of round that first Hotel with the partner experience. But I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine a loan in at the end of the road in the middle of the night. And a storm.

Tanya Gill: 00:15:14

I'll tell you, the middle aged guy that came to the counter surfacing rubbing his beard. He like he took one look at us and asked very few questions. John asked him for a room with a view to the Prince of Wales in the lake, and I'm pretty sure he was the age to potentially had young kids our age. And this 2am arrival perhaps was meaningless to him. But it was hilariously awkward for me, and kind of a means to an end for John. John was excited that we were able to actually get the top northeast corner room with the view that he wanted. And two double beds.

Tanya Gill: 00:16:08

John's introduction to the magic of Washington was not limited to the way we choose to use only one of the bits. That's not what this was about. It was about the subtle way he let me find Waterton. When we woke up in the morning, it was dark. There were heavy curtains drawn and only cracks of light streaming into the room. The room was chilly. But I wanted to know where the hell we were. Now that we appeared to be at the end of the road, and there was sunlight. So when I rolled out of bed and made my way to those northern facing curtains, I didn't expect to experience what I did. It was a moment of awe. It was magic. It felt as if the sun was brighter than I'd ever seen it. The snow was whiter than I'd ever experienced it. And I was looking out into a winter postcard scene. I looked across the frozen Bay and followed the trees to that massive hotel standing in the majesty. She was so confident to atop a hill overlooking the small village across the bay and below to where we stood looking out of the window. And it wasn't just pretty. It felt different. I understand why Waterton was his choice to beat the winter blahs in the middle of what turned out to be a stormy night. And to arrive in her healing and loving energy. I didn't have the words that I do now. But I can tell you I distinctly remember the moment that I felt the specialness of her energy. And I really hope in sharing this story, you will remember your own places of magic and remember that you can discover new ones with adventure that aligns with your heart. I also know that some of you may have already experienced the magnificence that is Waterton and been present enough to bask in her magic, and that this will resonate for you on a deeper level. Through the windows, the sun rose over the mountain across the way and I later learned that to be them eat a rocky covered mountain with fresh snow. From that previous night's storm and down its rocky face. snow capped trees carried my eye to the water's edge in the dead of winter water. The lake was a deep blue black against the white where it had not yet been hushed to stillness on the surface where there was smooth surface in the day. It was so obvious that the wind was a sculptor of dedication, where the water had been edged to the opening of the water, jagged ice formations were created. And I'll tell you they looked like broken glass. And it was where the work of the water to winds which are easily known to get up to 100 kilometers an hour by the way. It was where that work of the water to winds was the great sculptor. And you know what? That day it was still windy, because calm rarely exists in Washington. And we walked we walked Among the boarded stores and the hotels, and even the lone gas station pats, and a few of the cabins that were closed for winter everything was boarded in their own way to keep out what clearly can be a harsh winter. And still in the silence and in the quiet and in the hibernation, I could feel that there was something special and magical that Waterton seemed to possess. You know, the season he described was summer, and we were there in winter. But I now realize he wasn't describing a season. He was describing a sacred energy of every new day in her space.

Tanya Gill: 00:20:53

Waterton has a peaceful essence, a quiet, loving peace. She invites a place to breathe, notice, be adventure, create, receive, give, express, its limitless, my friends, she is back to Makkah sicken me, which means that sacred lake within the mountains. Some friends of ours, a beloved soul sister and high council member of my heart have a cabin in Washington. And they've generously offered it to our family for this past two weeks that have been nothing less than bliss. When I search for a word to describe how Waterton remind reminds me of the power that she possesses. I actually come back to that acronym help. Honor empathy, love and presence. Healing happens in Waterson it happens because I'm able to honor my stories. I'm able to have empathy for the pieces of my life that were and I also can love now and forward and experience that presence. That is I have already experienced so much art and magic and Waterton and such deep, incredible presence. And it's no secret I clearly have a history with her. You know, the thing is, is that after that first introduction to Washington, John returned there the next summer as a Bellman and I returned as a gift shop girl at the Prince of Wales hotel. And, and the dirty little secret is that we didn't actually finish out the summer because of a disagreement about a ready for this one commingling in the residences. So, the manager of the hotel wasn't keen on commingling in the residences, and he lived in the boys residences, and I lived in the girls residences. And the manager actually suggested that we should commingle in the camp houses around Waterton Park. So when we chose not to co mingle in the camp houses, but to resign. It did not go well with what would be my future in laws. When John told his parents that we were quitting because our manager actually suggested the commingling and the CO cook houses. They were not happy. Yeah, that was awkward. That was really awkward. But time moves forward. And on what would have been our 14th wedding anniversary, John actually made his final track to his favorite mountain top in Washington. That last time, it was on my back. Energetically carried by my best friend, John's best friend, and a few other important people in our lives of the time. The boys and I scattered his remains to the wind, earth and water of her sacredness. He became part of line a mountain just as water Tim had already become a part of him. And I will tell you, my friends. It's a nine and a half hour trek in and back to Lyneham mountain. And that trek is a reminder that in the name of love, we do fucking hard things. Like Listen, it was not even a year after he had died. And the boys were five and a half years old and 18 months old. So When I say we do hard things, I also am honoring, and really deeply sharing love for the three men that helped carry those boys up that mountain, because they carried a different kind of load. They carried their own experiences, while also the extra weight and energy of the voice.

Tanya Gill: 00:25:26

Each person on that track was there for a special reason. And I really do, I want to acknowledge and honor their help in the deepest ways. Their way of showing up truly was the essence of help, honor, empathy, love, and presence. And if I'm really honest about that day, I'll also be straight about the fact that I was comforted knowing that one of the people, a friend of mine, at the time was a doctor, carrying the weight of my body, my heart, my emotions, caring for the boys, I had a lot of fears, that to some degree or another, I might simply collapse. But I knew I had to do the hard thing. I wished I'd been in better shape. But it was important, and it was the time to do it. So we did, we all did. And I was comforted knowing I had a doctor there, even though her assistance wasn't needed. Thank goodness. So you know, over the years, the boys and I either solo or with different variations of family and friends have come to Washington to experience time with dad, and share her majesty and healing beauty with the gifts of spending time there. And you know what, more than anything, I just want to let a little bit of her magic into them. With my boys, this time, I saw it. I saw them get the magic and simply being in her energy, playing, resting, exploring, creating more memories, presents. I'll tell you're being blessed to wake up in her presence and sleep in her peaceful darkness is a gift that will perhaps be so cherished, that it's beyond description. I know that together, we all as a family let her match again in a different way. And it was more than just the biking and the hiking and the kayaking in her grace. And it's more than just being tethered to the memories of dad. It's about the energy of that space. And you know, it's funny because this trip I actually discussed going to the cemetery with the boys I had never been and they had never been and it felt like it might be the time to just ask if they wanted to go. They'd always known that their dad was a part of Waterton and not necessarily a part of the cemetery. So when they didn't actually want to go and weren't interested. I was okay with that. Because it was actually John's family that arranged for a plaque to be placed in what we in the cemetery on the Friends of water to memorial wall. I always felt like it was their thing and not mine. So it had never really been a priority for me. And yet, this time, when Peter and I were looking to take the dogs to driftwood beach but there were people there. I randomly suggested we go check out the cemetery will tell you Waterton had a devastating fire five years ago. And the fires were called Keno that was called the Kino fires. And going to the cemetery showed the devastation of that fire, some of the monuments and headstones survived the mouse of fire. And I'll tell you that fire ripped through most of the park. But many of the headstones seem to have been incinerated by that fires intent for rebirth. There is a memorial wall that stands at the far end and there are mountains that surround it with inspiration. There's a birth forest being enveloped in that rebirth, of newness all around the feet. That that is the base of that cemetery. And, and I it was weird. I went to the wall and I searched for his name and when I found it, it was like I had some expectation I was gonna feel something like where am I going? What am I feel And I was just like, Yeah, I just felt peace. And I felt presence. And a simple acknowledgement that he was indeed one of the people that love water tend to, he did feel her magic in a magical way.

Tanya Gill: 00:30:16

And, you know, again, sometimes I wonder about places that feel magical. I know for some, it's about where we create memories, or where we have deep feelings. And it's been said that we have different levels of awareness. Memories can definitely invite us to think magic. Creating the feelings also allows us to deepen the acknowledgement of that magic. So that's why actually, so many therapists will ask you to create a safe space in your mind, and why so many of us will go to a place that felt magical to us. That's the thing, though, to feel the way magic is invited by Waterton is actually to know that buchtel maxeke me in a spiritual sense, that sacred lake within the mountains. I know, I have had conversations with people who have shared that they report feelings of peace and harmony and balance, tranquility, while they're in Washington. So I know I'm not alone. For me, Waterton is unquestionably that. But when we imbibe that magic, it also promotes personal reflection, deeper insight, and a clear mind. Somehow Waterton acts as a powerful center of physical hand, or, and, or physical and emotional rejuvenation, because I think it's actually both. The magic doesn't have to take days, it can literally be hours for me. And I feel more connected to myself and to something greater, whether that be God or the universe, or whatever you want to call it. So some people might be listening to this and think, Is she describing the energy vortex? Because I know that vortex does exist. And I know very, very little about them. So I did do a really quick Google search to see if water Tim was one by chance. And I'll tell you a deep dive wasn't a real priority for me. So I've just learned, I can just trust what I know. And I don't have to have someone else tell me what is magical. And Waterton is. And so I'll tell you my experience of Waterton. It's deep, and it's love. And Peter watched me video, wildflowers and streams and try to capture what I feel to share with you. And to have you see what I see when I'm in Washington. And so what I've decided is my social media moving forward for the next little while is going to be filled with the magic of Washington. And hopefully it will allow you to experience some of her healing magic, if you can't do it in person. It really is a tiny gift that I can give you. Because I do believe that even the videos or the reels or whatever it is, will invite that peace and harmony and inspiration and maybe even rejuvenation, even if for a moment into your life. You know, if I were to sit back and describe Washington's relationship with her visitors, I would say it's like she absorbs that love and that appreciation and that presence that people bring when they're there. And then what she does is she takes it all in from all of the people and then she gives it back to each and every one that takes the time to honor themselves in her up. Like I'm not kidding you her wildflowers see more colorful. Water tins rain feels more cleansing. Her wind blows the worries to the distance and her water to water. Her water brings an icy presence. Her sun warms the soul and her darkness is inspiring.

Tanya Gill: 00:34:53

Oh my god. Darkness Okay. Waterton is identified as a dark sky location. by the International Dark Sky Association. And so basically what that means is there is not a lot of light pollution so you can really enjoy the dark night sky. And so if you're up late enough in the Waterton town site, you can actually see amazing stars just from like, wherever you are in the town site. But if you get out of town, it is next level stunning. Like, I don't even know if there are words to express what it was like to Are you ready for this? night hike? And stargaze? Yes, night hike. Like I'm telling you guys, I'm terrified of bears, I am terrified of bears. So I only dreamed of stargazing from a remote location. And I'll tell you the thought of night hiking was both exhilarating and terrifying. But dark sky guides.

Tanya Gill: 00:36:06

But dark sky guides took us to this remote location. And then we were able to lay back and take in the incredible night sky. laying there. Under this beautiful blanket of stars, I will tell you. laying there, under that beautiful blanket of stars. Talk about perspective. I'm going to tell you, it I became so aware that I am simply a little speck of dust being in the magical place that was Waterton in southern Alberta, in Canada, North America Ville world, the Milky Way, and all of the stars and planets and universes beyond. Like talk about perspective. And yet interestingly enough, as that spec I have the ability to have the thoughts and the emotions and the connections and the experiences and feel the divine connection of spirit for which we may all have a different name or no name at all. Within the spec, that is me, the spec that is you and telling you all of the beauty in Waterton is because of change. The Dark Sky reminded me that I was a speck of light. The park and everything that has been through reminds us that change and purpose and intention is not about survival, but also thriving. Waterton survived a devastating fire and its renewal after her fires is a reminder that we can go on and create new, unexpected and totally magnificent beauty literally from the ashes. And I'll tell you most of our wildflowers seem to go unnoticed. But they continue to bloom forward because their beauty is for themselves. It's their destiny and it's a reminder of you and your destiny. What your job in this life is as the speck of dust that you are water Tim is magic for me. And perhaps one day it will be for you to she provides an energy that invites honor empathy, love and presence in beautiful ways. But I want to know are there places and spaces in your life where you feel that deep connection that energetic healing, Insight peace harmony, or simple love? I call it magic high frequency are where do you experience that high frequency all my friend? It is that high frequency version of awe. That becomes a part of us. Where do you absorb the magic from? Oh, you know what? I want to hear your stories. I want to hear from you. Tell me about your experience of magical spaces and places. What do you Feel what do you experience? What do you sense? Does it provide clarity and connection for you? How do these magical places add to your sense of honor, empathy, love and presence for and with yourself? Oh my friend, my divine speck of light in this magical world, your life, your experiences, your memories, your love, the beauty, insight, wisdom and adventures that you create for yourself, or that high frequency experience of all that magic is created from within you.

Tanya Gill: 00:40:51

May this podcast inspire you to be reminded of the magic within you the gifts of your memories and the gifts of finding your own sacred spaces and places in your own ways. Your life is your adventure, my friend. Make it a good one. From my heart to yours. I love you