The Sanctuary Flow: Trading the "Junk" for the High Desert

For years, Mexico meant one thing: the beach. It was a landscape of "Junk" experiences—filling the silence with margaritas, tequila shots, Dos Equis and the blurred edges of a vacation spent trying to escape. Don't get me wrong, the reefs of Cozumel are a wonder, but when you're in the "muddy trenches" of life, even the most beautiful ocean can become just another place to hide.

Among hoodoos and deer, turkeys, pines and oaks, hiking and breathing in the cool desert air. A week in the high desert of Chihuahua reminded me that the best paths aren't the ones that are paved, but the ones that lead us back to ourselves and those we love. ❤️ #MotherAndSon #SanctuaryFlow #Chihuahua #GuidedRecovery

This time, the map looked different.

I traded the salt water and the beach for the high desert of Chihuahua. I traded the crowded bars and clubs for the rugged silence of the Sierras. And most importantly, I traded the "Junk" for a week of pure, unpaved connection with my adult son, Jake.

Beyond the "Junk" Experience

In recovery, we often talk about "Junk Materialism" or "Junk Experiences"—things we consume to avoid being alone with ourselves. On the beach, the "Hungry Ghost" is easily fed. But in the high desert, there is nowhere to hide. You are forced to be a Sovereign Navigator of your own energy.

On this trip, the thought of a margarita or a beer never even crossed our minds. We weren't there to escape; we were there to arrive.

The Logistics of Presence

Our days followed a natural, "Biological Rhythm" that no luxury resort could ever provide:

• The Dawn Reset: Up before the sun, watching the light hit the canyon walls.

• The Physical Toll: Scrambling 12 hours a day up rocky cliffs, winding along game trails through oaks and pines, cactus and century plants, carrying packs and braving the elements until our bodies were a "good tired."

• The Sacred Pause: Falling into bed at 10 PM, the cool desert air acting as a natural sedative for a mind that was truly at peace.

The "Sanctuary Flow" of Togetherness

There is a specific kind of magic that happens when you remove technology and "Junk" fillers from a relationship. I call it the Sanctuary Flow. It’s the state of being fully present with someone you love with all your heart, where the only thing that matters is the trail beneath your feet and the person beside you.

As a mother, watching Jake move through that terrain—scrambling over rocks, standing atop hoodoos and spires, spotting deer and turkey, and simply being—deepened a connection that was already strong. When you aren't numbing your own experience, you can actually see the person standing in front of you and next to you. You move from "doing" a vacation together to truly "existing" together. He became my trusted guide in the high desert and I couldn't be more proud of his backcountry expertise. It was an experience I will never forget—figuratively and literally.

The Dirt Path to Enlightenment

As John Muir said, "Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt."

The dirt paths of Chihuahua gave us something a paved road never could: a chance to be fully human. We didn't need the "fake world" of high-end amenities or the chemical "Manual Override" of alcohol. We didn't need to be surrounded by "Junk Friends" or "Junk Activities" to distract us from reality or escape from stress or work back home. We simply had the cliffs, the wildlife, and a shared rhythm that felt like the purest form of our true selves.

If you are looking for your own Sovereign Ascent, stop looking for the easiest path. Look for the one that makes your body tired, your mind quiet, and your heart full.