Snow Geese, Calligraphy and a Cold Dawn

Dramatic. Exciting. A truly spiritual experience: being at Freezeout Lake at dawn in late March. Hundreds of thousands of snow geese and other migratory birds use the lake as a rest stop on their journey from California to Alaska.

Throngs of geese erupt from the lake at sunrise and head east to the grain fields. You can hear their wings beating as they fly overhead, and the sound of their calls — it’s shiver-making! Put this breath-taking experience on your bucket list, if you live in Montana or are visiting in the early spring.

Let Go of What Holds You Back

In our spiritual tradition, we give away whatever is holding us back — whatever is troubling us — by sitting beside running water and letting the negative feelings, thoughts, or obstacles go. We imagine the obstacles flowing away with the current, like a leaf or twig.