Thoughts on Walking

Field Notes XV: Philosophical hatchetwork

We ought to take outdoor walks, to refresh and raise our spirits by deep breathing in the open air. - Seneca

I spend a lot of time walking. During my time on the trails I cover many miles, but I add many more at home. In order to confidently go to some pretty remote locations, I stay dedicated to developing the fitness to sustain me. This includes miles of training rucks. Also, as I walk my dogs, I do the half mile loop through my neighborhood barefoot in order to toughen my feet and strengthen the small, complicated, and undervalued muscles that support me.

Recently, it has occurred to me that the various types of walking that I do seem to affect where my mind focuses. Burdened vs unburdened, painful, slow, distracted, or focused, my physical gait and mental bearing are connected. Here are a few observations from the trail.

Heavy boots force the earth away. Pistons fueled by heaving lungs, every trodden step is commanding, but slow. A grind. As I hike those early miles in what I think is necessary foot armor a deceptive fatigue pulls at my legs. My mind is locked in the present, but intent on driving the next rocky step down and back as I advance along the trail. I pause often and detach, engrossed in my surroundings. While moving, thoughts hover over the next few feet along the path.

On later trips I wear lighter boots. Now I have more power and drive. The tread grips rocks and roots as I propel towards my destination. Forest paths flow behind in a motion blur of uncounted steps. My thoughts race ahead of me, preparing camera settings for locations and conditions I have not yet reached.

The Conasauga River, in the midst of the Cohutta Wilderness of North Georgia, changes my pace and teaches me a lesson. Within 4 miles the Conasauga River Trail stitches back and forth across the water 18 times. I hike in cheap water shoes made of thin rubber soles held to my feet by mesh. The pressure of every stone, branch, or clod of soil is amplified by the weight of my pack pressing down from above. Each step must be chosen with care. My mind slows and I become more observant of all that surrounds me. The end of the trail is less of a concern. I am present and mindful. Though my feet hurt, I feel at ease.

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All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking. -Friedrich Nietzsche

What are these implications for you and I? At times my mind is unfocused or absorbed by a cell phone or other device. Or, as I rush through the grocery store to be back in time to mow the lawn before making dinner, my thoughts scatter like dry leaves on an October afternoon. I’m sure you can relate.

Do we want to change this, even for a little while, in order to re-group? Walking is such an automatic activity for us. It is very hard to recognize at times, but the state or our mental attention directly influences our posture and gait. However, similarly, our posture and gait can affect the mind. I will use the way I walk to gain back some control. Shoulders back and head up to drive my mind to engage the world around. Slow the pace and take steps with care to build mindfulness and connection with the present. Walking in the woods, I will center myself and feel the ground underfoot, to live in accordance with Nature.

Thank you for taking the time to read my rough philosophical hatchet work! If you have the time, check out this article by Mark Sisson of Mark’s Daily Apple on the benefits of going barefoot!

Benefits of Barefoot Workouts

Also, here is an article with a guided meditation for walking, which complements and underscores what I’m trying to convey in this post.

A Guided Walking Meditation

Once again I invite you to browse some of my best photography in these galleries-

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