In this episode of The Himalayan Diary, Borghild returns to the gompa after leaving Mustang sooner than expected and finding her way back through snow, ice, a jeep, a horseman, and a little white horse carrying food for another ten days.
Back to the Milarepa Cave, the rhythm of winter at 3,800 metres begins again. The cold rooms, frozen water, butter lamp, morning light, mice, mountains, and silence are all still there. But something has changed. She is no longer wondering whether she should be somewhere else.
These final days unfold slowly. She returns to the Milarepa Cave, walks to Muktinath Temple under the Snow Moon, joins village life through an unexpected puja, and watches the mind in silence. And the practice is there too, in the ordinary interruptions, practical problems, village kindness, a sore back, and the simple rhythm of everyday life.
As the days pass, the leaving begins to arrange itself. The jeep driver who brought her back from Pokhara can take her and her monk friend all the way to Kathmandu. When Rinpoche asks her to bring the big drum from the gompa, it feels exactly right: part of the gompa will travel with her.
This is an episode about staying long enough to hear the next movement. About knowing when to remain, when to prepare, and when to let silence lead the way.
In this episode we exploreReturning differently
Borghild is back at the gompa, but not in the same way as before. Before leaving for Pokhara, she had many questions. Now she is simply there, amazed by how everything aligned for her to return, and aware that these are her final days in Mustang.
The rhythm of winter at altitude
The day is shaped by cold, light, water, food, and the body. The mountain decides when the sun arrives, the water freezes overnight, the signal comes and goes, and the body knows how much is possible. Life becomes simple, but never passive.
The Milarepa Cave
Back in the cave, Borghild sits with silence, mantra, and the movement of the mind. The cave does not feel empty. It carries the presence of centuries of practice; Milarepa, Rinpoche, monks, practitioners, and all those who returned day after day, even when nothing much seemed to happen.
Muktinath and the Snow Moon
On the full Snow Moon, Borghild returns to Muktinath Temple, the Temple of Liberation, walking through snow and stepping beneath the 108 water spouts. The ritual feels natural, a way of returning to a place that has become part of her.
Village life and unexpected belonging
When her mobile data runs out, Borghild goes to a neighbouring village for help and finds herself at a forty-nine-day puja for a grandmother who has passed away. What begins as a practical errand becomes tea, lunch, women from different villages, and another moment of belonging.
Studying the mind
In the Milarepa Cave, Rinpoche’s words return: “If you want to study something, study your mind.” Borghild watches thoughts about Norway, work, money, questions, and what comes next. The thoughts still move, but they no longer carry her in the same way.
The gompa’s own ecosystem
The mice, the roof, the water, the prayer flags, the villagers, the morning light, the cold, and the body all become part of the same living rhythm. The gompa is not a controlled retreat environment. It has its own life, and Borghild is living inside it.
Knowing when to move
The leaving simply becomes the next movement.
ListenA companion for walking, resting, travelling, or finding your own way back to what brings you peace.A simple reflection to take with you
This episode invites you to stay with a few gentle questions:
Where in my life am I trying to force a decision, when my gut feeling may already be showing me the way?
What helps me stay present when the mind moves?
How do I know the difference between a time to stay and a time to move?
A quote to remember
“The practice has been to become quiet enough for the next movement to unfold.”
Mentioned in this episode
Muktinath Temple
Known as the Temple of Liberation, and one of the places Borghild returns to whenever she comes back to Mustang.
The 108 water spouts at Muktinath.
A freezing ritual of return, purification, devotion, and tradition.
In the next...
and final episode of The Himalayan Diary, Borghild returns to Boudhanath in Kathmandu, where the pace is different, the streets are busy, and the journey begins to change shape.
The mountains are behind her, but something from the silence comes with her.
And now the practice is about returning.
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Borghild was also recently featured in an online magazine, sharing some of her journey and connection to Nepal. You can read it here.
Note / DisclaimerThis podcast is for education and personal growth. It is not therapy or a substitute for professional mental health care.
