Throughout my life, a walk in nature has always been what I needed to restore balance and calm when life got too busy or overwhelming. No matter what city I lived in, I would always gravitate to the green areas or water.
I recall one instance while I was going through radiation treatment when I set out to take a Tai Chi class, couldn’t find the studio, and ended up at the ocean. It was obvious to me that was where I was supposed to be. Even the night sweats were more bearable that day.
Walking along the shoreline, my thoughts were soothed by the quiet sound and rhythm of the waves breaking on the shore . . . the rhythm of the universe. Worries washed away, fear abated, and I felt becalmed in the midst of the cancer drama that had become my life. Being close to nature affirmed that there was a bigger picture, a universal presence which I call God and a knowing that healing and help was available to me if I asked.
Now, many years later (since the fall of 1990), I am still here. I am still walking in nature to find peace and calm. The steady rhythm of my stride, the swing of my arms, my breathing, all create the essence of a walking meditation – away from distraction allowing inner thoughts to be heard – thoughts and insights that are often drowned out in the roar of modern society.
