Fragrant pine.
Rocky red earth,
Steep mountain.
Walking may be a good metaphor for spiritual life, but there are times when simple hiking is literally the best activity. When one walks in the woods or climbs mountains, there is a wonderful unity of body, mind, and spirit. Hiking strengthens the legs, increases stamina, invigorates the blood, and soothes the mind. Away from the madness of society, one is freed to observe nature's lessons.Erosion. Gnarled roots. The carcass of a dead deer. A flight of swallows. The high spirals of hawks. Bladed reflections of rushing water. Just budding bare branches. Gray rock, cracked, shattered, and worn. A fallen tree. A lone cloud. The laughter of plum branches. Even a little circle of rocks beside the trail -- who put them there, or did any hand arrange them, and no matter which, what are the secrets of that circle?
There are a thousand meanings in every view, if only we open ourselves to see the scripture of the landscape.
Personal Interpretation
Nature is a beautiful thing, and the act of walking through its varied landscapes is soothing to the spirit. Nature offers a respite from the daily grind. We can allow ourselves to simply be. As we move ourselves forward, we also strengthen our bodies and minds. We make ourselves anew so that we are better able to withstand the many pressures of the lives we must lead. Nature is capable of producing the best and the worst that we can imagine. Absolute good and bad are human constructs though. The natural world simply is. Our lives mirror the cycles of nature. It does us good to reflect on this, and doing so will certainly make us feel that we are connected to something so pure and redeeming that no words can do it justice.
No comments:
Post a Comment