I honestly wasn’t sure I would even attempt that final ascent before I got there, but the 2 previous miles had been so rewarding that I was inspired and “on fire” when it came time to step forward. I had walked those incredibly beautiful and breathtaking 2 previous miles with Patricia, a very powerful 69-year-old woman, and Feminine Power coaching client who I worked deeply with the previous year and who has since become a very dear friend and evolutionary partner. She has knee issues and the heat was getting to her, but she was absolutely inspiring and incredibly attuned with her inner strength as I extended support and love to her with every step going up.

Through her empowered attunement, Patricia recognized her limits and decided to stop under a tree on Scout’s Lookout, the first pinnacle before Angel’s Landing, with a gorgeous view of the looming peaks and valleys all around us, to wait for us to return from the final ascent to the top-most pinnacle.

The hike up to Angel’s Landing required that in many places, one hold onto chains that are bolted to the side of the wall with a sheer cliff on the outer edge of a sometimes 18” wide walkway. If one were to fall, that would be “It.” So, ‘I’m Not Safe” was definitely in my face… This required lots of holding and containing fear, extreme focus on the places to put my feet and hands and great surrender to the strength of my nearly 60-year-old body that I spent months conditioning for this very event. Every once in a while, the grace of the Great Mother would give us a moment of reprieve and the path would widen enough to stop and take a breath. The ascent was slow, but steady, even though sometimes my fearfully shaking legs were not the most steady part of my body.

We were all so ecstatic when we reached the top!!! Sunni, our Priestess Elder, a 73-year-old sister sojourner who experienced a really challenging time making it was deeply supported by amazing 58-year-old Carla, who, in her deepest desire to be of service, extended her training as a Yoga teacher for the elderly. They were so extremely overjoyed as the top of their heads peeked over that final ledge and their sparkling eyes danced as they met ours. What a testament to the power of the feminine, the power of supporting each other and to the power of relatedness we all were!

So all of this, in and of itself, would have made for quite the inspiring story, but what happened next completely blew my mind and shifted my very essence of “knowing!”

We sat on top of that landing for about 45 minutes, taking in the incredible view and feeling the bonded awareness of not only our group, but of the 75 or so others on top of that landing who had also made the same efforts and had tackled the same fears that we had.

When we finally started to make our way down, I was feeling so happy and in love with everyone and all of life. After the first set of chains, we came upon our first widened pathway and just before I stepped upon the flattened surface, I noticed a woman standing against the wall, looking tired, forlorn and despondent.

I reached out to her with my energy and said with my voice, “Sweetheart, you are so amazing…[planning to finish with, “look at how far you have gotten, the end is just ahead!”]… but, because I had taken my attention away from my own center, and what my feet were doing, my left foot slipped on the side of a slightly protruding rounded rock on the flat area and slid into sand… my left ankle buckled, foot twisting onto its side and popped as I went straight down to my knees. This was quite shocking and I immediately knew it was serious…as we quickly pulled off my shoe and sock, a 3 inch blue egg extended under the surface of my skin on the top of my foot just below my ankle.

…before I could utter a word, a legion of angels, strangers who I had not even noticed were with me, flocked around as the perfect “others” to support me through this event. The young man, Johnny, who was standing next to the forlorn woman me reached into his backpack and pulled out some ankle wrapping tape and started activating an emergency ice bag. (Turns out he was her trek guide and lived in the same valley that I did in Colorado.)

The young man, Kyle, who “happened” to be walking behind me was the medic for a Division 1 Women’s soccer team, also from Colorado. He tested for a break and then determined it was just a torn ligament; “Phew!” He proceeded to tape my ankle so that I had an instant professional cast. Behind him was a friend of his, Connor, a young fireman, who insisted upon staying with me for the treacherous hike down the .5 miles to Scout’s Lookout. Emily, quietly held a powerful feminine presence as we made our ways down…

Prem, my co-facilitator on the Journey, pictured with me above along the narrow pathway, gently held my foot and sent her comforting method of energy healing, then stayed behind to help the other half of the group down the rest of the hike.

… Had the “goodness of life” not lined up with the extended way I was being and all of those others had not been also attuned on a deeper level, this would probably have meant a very dangerous, dramatic, expensive and painful helicopter rescue off of the side of the peak…

As it went, we were all so grateful for the expression of healthy divine masculine that was all around us! I was so focused on where I needed to place my hands and feet to maneuver my way down, it was better not to be touched by anyone else, but that they were “there” for me. How it all happened, I didn’t even notice the edges and I flew down that path on the sturdy arms that I had worked so diligently to condition for the journey…

When we returned to Scout’s Landing, Patricia was there with her big smile and loving arms. She and another joy-filled, loving and amazing sister sojourner, Debi, supported me for the final 2 miles back down to the trail head, guide being guided, supporter being supported…giving and receiving love as we made our ways home.

“Angel’s Landing,” what an apt name for the incident that activated every fiber of my being to “know” that “it is safe to trust in the goodness of life” and that this is the key to my “ability to give and receive love” at every turn and in every moment of my life…

To discover how Marilyn Hager can support you to step fully into your power, call 424.634.0408.

Each time I cross the threshold into the empty presence of another feminine archetype, I am touched to my very core. At the same time, my whole self: my heart, my mind, my spirit and soul expand across space and time. At the end of the first round of my exploration, when I reached the Alchemist, the thirteenth archetype, I stepped into a sense of vast peace and solid, inner strength as a more complete, confident and powerfully centered version of myself.

The most profound outcome for me has been a renewed connection with my creativity as an artist, a writer, storyteller and a coach. I am in the process of developing a book project, an online course, and art pieces that will include the power of our priestess pathway.

I have also incorporated the mentorship of the archetypes into my Goddess of Success coaching practice, as well as into my Heroine’s Journey travel adventures for the empowered woman.

Most of all, this has been an opportunity to share temple space with a precious sisterhood of incredible women from all over the world, women who I have known and will know throughout all time.

I feel so blessed to experience this wonderful journey. I’m so grateful to have taken the steps to allow myself to come home to this sisterhood of Priestess Pathway of the Sanctuary of the Open Heart.