This is Life

In this episode of The Himalayan Diary , Borghild leaves Mustang sooner than expected and travels down to Pokhara, where warmth, food, hot water, massage, and lower altitude give her body the relief it has been asking for. But as the body begins to soften, something else becomes clear. She does not want to leave Nepal early. She does not want to spend two weeks in Kathmandu. And even with all its...

After returning from the nunnery, Borghild settles back into the silence of the gompa in Mustang. The mornings are cold, the routines are simple, and the body is tired from the altitude, the winter conditions, and the constant practical work of staying warm, fed, and grounded. Even in the stillness, the mind keeps moving. There is already a flight booked from Delhi back to Norway, but everything b...

Even in the stillness of a remote gompa in Mustang, Nepal, everyday life finds its way in. In this episode of The Himalayan Diary , Borghild reflects on what happens when the mind begins to speed up again after a period of stillness. Messages from home, practical decisions, travel questions, and unresolved things in Norway start to enter the retreat. And with that comes the familiar movement of th...

On a freezing morning at the gompa in Mustang, Borghild sits with her hands wrapped around a hot pot of porridge, waiting for the first sunlight to reach her skin. Muktinath remains in shadow. The fortress ridge above Jhong village is already lit, and slowly the day begins to arrive in layers. In this episode of The Himalayan Diary , Borghild shares a sunrise mindfulness practice inspired by those...

Outside the gompa in Mustang, a Tibetan prayer flag has become a silent teacher for Borghild. From the kitchen window and out in the sharp morning light, she finds herself returning to it again and again; watching the way it hangs still, lifts, twists, opens, and falls back with the changing wind. In this episode of The Himalayan Diary, Borghild shares a reflective mindfulness practice inspired by...

Today, Borghild steps out of the stillness of the cave and into the everyday rhythm of winter in the gompa. What does it really mean to tend to the flame, not just metaphorically, but physically, emotionally, and spiritually when the conditions are cold, the butter won’t melt, and the smallest acts require full attention? From lighting a stubborn butter lamp to negotiating with bold mountain mice,...

Today is 2 January 2026. This morning I’m sitting inside the Milarepa cave in Mustang, Nepal, lighting incense, offering a butter lamp, and watching a small flame calming the body and mind. From that silent place, this episode opens into a reflection on grace: the unexpected support that arrived yesterday when food was low, the electricity was out, and I went down to the village simply needing hel...

At 3,700 metres in Mustang, Nepal, I begin settling into the rhythm of daily life in a remote Himalayan gompa where altitude, silence, and simplicity invite a different kind of listening. Up here, rhythm is not organised by the clock. It's shaped by light, cold, warmth, food, silence, rest, and the quiet intelligence of the body. But even in a place this spacious and still, rhythm gets tested by d...

Christmas Day in a remote, high-altitude gompa in Mustang, Nepal and also Borghild’s birthday. A day that begins with a literal crash (a cat falling through the roof), and unfolds into something quieter: a walk to Muktinath Temple, a return to mountain rhythm, and a reflection on what happens when we stop needing life to feel “special”… and let it be what it is. In this episode we explore A cat fa...

A set of keys in Kathmandu. A simple invitation. And suddenly, the next step arranges itself. In this first episode of The Himalayan Diary , I share how I arrived at a remote gompa in Mustang, Nepal and the sequence of small, clear steps that carried me there: from Kathmandu, to Pokhara, to an unplanned day that brought clarity, and then a remarkably smooth journey north into the Himalayas; arrivi...

After weeks of high-altitude simplicity on the Manaslu Circuit, Borghild returns to Kathmandu and feels the city rhythm rush back in. She calls it everyday altitude : not thin air, but the invisible pressure of noise, decisions, and constant input that can keep the nervous system switched on. Through steady kora walks in Boudha and trail runs up Pulchowki and Shivapuri, this poetic, yet practical...

After the Manaslu Circuit Trek, I return to Kathmandu and life feels both familiar and strange. There’s relief… and there’s also the shift from mountain rhythm to modern pace. In this episode, I explore what I call Everyday Altitude, not as thin air, but as constant input and pressure that can leave the nervous system “on call” without us noticing. I share a mountains lesson about the body’s intel...

Welcome back to the trail. In this second part of the Manaslu Circuit trek in the Himalays of Nepal, we move into higher altitude, deeper simplicity and wisdom, where the body takes the lead and the mountains make everything basic: warmth, breath, water, food, and rest. We continue from Samagaun to Samdo , up to Dharamsala , across Larkya La Pass (5,106m) , and down to Bhimtang and finally the las...

This extended episode (just over 60 minutes) takes you deep into the mountains of Nepal on the Manaslu Circuit Trek, through steep ridges, river gorges, Tibetan villages, and toward a turquoise glacier lake. This is part one of a two-part series . Along the way, we explore two powerful themes: boundaries and belonging. Not as abstract concepts, but as real, embodied experiences. From the jeep ride...

After we make a decision, or feel a chapter ending, there’s often a strange, wobbly space that opens up: the in-between. In this episode, I share why that feeling is normal, why uncertainty can feel overwhelming, and how to meet it without spiraling. I’ll guide you through my simple self-awareness rhythm: Connect • Focus • Flow™ to help you come back to calm, clarity, and trust when doubt, fear, o...

When we realise something has to change, guilt, fear, and self-doubt often show up. In this episode I share how I work with those reactions on the Camino and in everyday life. This is a simple self-awareness rhythm, I use with clients and myself called,  Connect • Focus • Flow™ . You’ll leave with practical journaling prompts and one doable next step. Key takeaways Why change can stall even after ...

Feeling stuck, like something needs to change, but the path isn’t clear yet? Today, Borghild invites you into the heart of breaking free . Not as running away, but as walking toward what’s real, one step at a time. You’ll hear how small steps from the Camino to the Himalayas, became a practical rhythm for everyday life. We talk about... The moment of choice when everything in you says move and the...

Welcome to This Is Life : An introspective podcast about breaking free one step at a time. This short introduction shares why I created the show, who it’s for, and what to expect. I blend psychology, reflection and lived adventure to help you meet life's turning points with more clarity, confidence and trust. Next: Listen to Episode 1 — Breaking Free: The Beginning of the Journey. Website:  https:...