Last week I went for a spectacular hike with my friends. My legs are still aching, but the awe and wonder I experienced continues to resonate through my cells.

We hiked a route known as Los Nacientes, which translates, here at least, as 'the birthplace of water'. Los Nacientes is home to two natural springs high, high in the mountains - the Marcos and Cordero waterfalls. The names come from the Spanish men who discovered and 'owned' them (I find the concept completely foreign, but there you go... ).

To reach the waterfalls you walk along about five kilometres of manmade paths, including 13 tunnels dug by hand through the volcano. These vary from around 12m to almost 350m long, one of which remains a waterfall conduit and is rather like passing through a luxury modern-day full-body power-shower, using fresh spring water! 

As spectacular as the manmade canals and tunnels were, my awe and wonder was inspired by the waterfalls themselves.  We normally understand springs to come from underground sources of water that are held in the water table. However these springs, found at well over 1000m above sea level, are rather special, and amazingly, are a gift, not from the earth below us, from the skies and the trees that grow above us.

La Palma is known as La Isla Bonita (cue Madonna-fans), ‘the beautiful island’, because it is the greenest of all the Canary Islands. This is due to its height - at over 2400m, the second highest in the archipelago - and the fact that much of it is shrouded in clouds on and off on any given day. 

Now comes the 'awe and wonder' bit. The trees, a mixture of indigenous Canary Pine, and ancient tertiary laurel forests, absorb water out of the clouds and the atmosphere, and channel it through their needles, leaves, branches, trunk and roots, literally giving it to the earth. Isn't that amazing?!?

The porous volcanic rocks then filter the water, purifying it until it reaches a basin where two basalt layers meet, trapping the water, creating an underground storage. The water then 'leaks' out of the mountain as two waterfalls, cascading down through the lush vegetation, to be caught by the manmade canals which direct it down for us to enjoy.

Can you imagine drinking water that trees sucked out of the air, and gave to the earth? That was then filtered and mineralised through volcanic rock, and then poured out into the world for us to discover and nourish ourselves with?

Did you ever hear of such awesome proof that Nature is infinitely creative and abundant - and we just need to get out of the f-ing way?!?

Awe and wonder, right? Awe and magical wonder.

However, I can't write about Nature this week without acknowledging the shocking floods in Europe. Nature is also crying, it is her way to express her 'too much', her 'no more' to our pollution, over-population, degradation, and raping of her resources for greed. 

Here in this protected Unesco Biosphere, I am blessed to witness Nature in her balance and her power. And I wonder when global politics will begin to listen? When they will put the wellbeing and safety of our future generations above the greed of a few, above the ever greater divide of rich versus poor? When will they prioritise saving this planet rather than wasting precious billions looking for 'planet B'? If they will truly hear the Gretas and Sir Davids, before it's too late. 

I found this video of the route and waterfalls on Youtube - I have no idea who the couple are, but their choice of music captures the day for me. I have to admit, I looked less fresh by the end of it, with aching feet and jelly-legs. But a heart so overflowing with love for our beautiful, infinitely creative Mother Nature.

Max loved it too, apart from the power-shower bit, which I had to carry him through. 

This week, wherever you are, take a moment to listen to our great Mother, our one true home, our source, our sanctuary, our safety. She's here, supporting us as best she can, giving us what we need, warning us where necessary. She needs us, and one of the best ways I know to kick myself into action, is to connect with my awe and wonder. 

I hope you are safe and well, and can find your own personal blessings of awe and wonder in Nature around you.

As always, with love, y un abrazo,

Sara

As always, PS - if you would like to receive these Musings hot off the press when they go out to my list (fb is always at least 1-2 days later), you can sign up to my community for Musings and news here : www.discoveryourdepths.com/newsletter.

Thank you for following me and my journey, as I adventure through the inner and outer worlds of life!