How many of you walk the same trail each morning and are bored with the experience? That’s how I felt until I started paying more attention to my dog, \u201cMr Mook\u201d. Every morning, Mook’s nose gives him a full report on what was on the trail the previous night.\u00a0 While he is getting more pumped up by the minute, I am just trying to \u201cpower through\u201d the hike as quickly as possible, so I can get to work. Although, the walking gets my heart rate up, there isn’t any connection with the living things that I pass along the way.<\/p>\n
So how could a person start having a similar experience as Mook? \u00a0Every new smell puts a little more jump in his step. But taking a \u201csmell hike\u201d is never going to improve your experience on the trail, since his olfactory sense is almost 50 times better than ours.<\/p>\n
But there are things you can do to connect more with nature, and experience the vitality that is in the woods near your home. Below are a few ideas that may help you find nature\u2019s beauty, and improve your quality of life.<\/p>\n
1. Silently name everything that you see, hear, and feel during a hike. \u00a0\u201cNaming\u201d will keep you in \u201cpresent time\u201d and you\u2019ll start seeing things with \u201cfresh eyes\u201d.<\/p>\n
2. A variation on this activity is to find new things that you\u2019ve never seen. This morning I saw 7 new things (I wonder if they were really \u201cnew\u201d or if my memory is really poor<\/em>). Regardless, you will finish the hike feeling great, and start your day on a positive note.<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0 Walk slower than you usually do, and try to be as open as possible to everything around you. Look for trees that grow close to each other, or have a double trunk . Stop between the trees (or trunks) and attempt to feel the strong vibrations the trees are giving off. Then, walk between the trees (or trunks). (When I have done this, I have felt a little bump in my energy<\/em> and even wondered whether the trees felt the same).<\/em><\/p>\n 4. Lastly, my daughter Alli had the following comment about walking in nature with a companion:\u00a0 \u201cFrom a very young age I learned to walk respecting nature. Staying light on my feet, and using gestures to communicate with my walking partners, rather than words. When I walk like this, I believe that the animals are more apt to go about their lives as usual.\u201d<\/p>\n Walking with nature<\/em> is about walking with intention and seeking beauty in your neighborhood. Share your experiences of what makes your morning hikes special and helps you connect with nature.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" How many of you walk the same trail each morning and are bored with the experience? That’s how I felt until I started paying more attention to my dog, \u201cMr Mook\u201d. Every morning, Mook’s nose gives him a full report … Continue reading