Being in the outdoors and connecting with nature is something that we are made for. The exercise, the fresh air, the beautiful wildlife and landscape has the God given potential to open up the mind and free the soul. Over the last number of years, hiking and being in nature has taken on for me a more intentional spiritual practice. I’ve been spending more time in nature as a means of getting out of my busy, overcrowded, tiny mind, and connecting with the freedom, beauty and spaciousness of creation.
Last fall I was on a solo overnight backpacking hike on a section of the East Coast Trail. On the hike out of the wilderness, I met two men working on the trail, members of the East Coast Trail Association. We got to talking, I told them I was an Anglican Priest, and that they should consider taking me on as “chaplain for the trail.” One of the men thought there might be something to that idea, and invited me to apply to become a hike leader for the Association. With that, I applied, went through the orientation process, and led my first group hike in August as a “Nature and Spirituality” hike.
So many people live their lives trapped in the cage of their unrelenting and limited thinking minds. There are even those who hit the trail and enter into nature hoping to experience more inner freedom, only to carry all of their mind noise and distraction with them on the trail. Therefore the intention of the nature and spirituality hike was to enter into nature with simple presence and appreciation as a means of opening up our busy and complex minds. The beautiful landscape helped us to become forgetful of self and, through encounter with nature, connected us to the larger Life that pulses through all of creation.
The hike began with some direction on how we might want to consider combining meditation and hiking. The 20 participants could linger and do their own looking and listening and experiencing at their own pace during the first leg of the hike, all of which was done in silence. At the half way point, and before eating lunch, the invitation was made to reflect upon and share something of how we experienced and connected with nature. The return leg of the hike was at a more normal pace together as a group, in silence, but with more open minds and a greater sense of simple presence. Hiking straight through on the return leg was also an opportunity to practice mindfulness in focusing on each step and each breath we take. Again at the end of this portion of the hike, the group shared something of their own inner experience. All participants fully enjoyed and got something refreshing out this nature and spirituality hike. Creation is in us and all around us, inviting us to connect and to become whole. All we have to do is to step in!
