The Spirit of the Woods
By Tim Long
What is it that draws people to the woods and nature? For me, the world seems to intertwine with the mind when I’m away from civilization. The more wild and rugged the surroundings, the more my senses and thoughts expand. John Muir wrote about wilderness as, A fine place for feasting if only one be poor enough. One is speedily absorbed into the spiritual values of things. The body vanishes and the freed soul goes abroad…
"If only one be poor enough." We put so much emphasis on material things, that we have lost the ability to "be poor enough" to appreciate the value and purity in something so seemingly simple as a walk through woods.
You don’t have to be a rugged outdoorsman to enjoy nature. Some comfortable walking shoes, snacks and water are just about all you need to head out into the woods and re-create yourself. If only for part of a day, treat yourself to the purity of nature. We move so fast through daily life that we don’t know how to sit still and contemplate. Our days are like assembly lines, go, go, go, doing the same things every day, faster and faster, trying to get more into each day.
Schedule a couple of hours and head to one of the local natural areas. While you’re walking along a trail, simply stop and listen and look and breathe. Enjoy. Appreciate what’s out there.
3 comments:
I relax when out running in the woods. Hard to think about it that way but it is true. Take the sunset this evening. Very relaxing and inspiring with the purples and pinks spread out across the sky and reflecting off the river. Amazing view while out in the woods on a trail run. Simple and free to anyone willing to just stop and look.
Well put, JP. Especially at this time of the year when stress seems to build, it's important to find a way to "center" yourself.
Being out on the trail whether running, biking or just walking, always brings a huge grin to my face.
:-)
- Marcus Barton
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