Re: [at-l] HIking as Meditation?

[Jim Owen <jimandginnyo@juno.com>]

On Mon, 03 Apr 2000 12:55:06 PDT "Cora Drake" <cora_drake@hotmail.com>
writes:
> i try the "empty your mind completely" meditation notion and what 
> happens is 
> that the present tunes in loud and clear -- sights, sounds (aches, 
> pains  
> *v*)

What I used to find, when I hiked alone, was that on a fairly long hike I
could divide it into quarters.  The first 3 or 4 miles, I would be
thinking about what was going on in my life - work, family etc.  The
second quarter, I would think about aches and pains, how steep the climb
was, etc (grumble, grumble), the third quarter I would be in the moment,
observing the world around me, enjoying the clouds, the birds, the
squirrels, etc. The last three or four miles, I would just be -  no
thought, just contentment. (Ohm.)

Now that I hike with a partner, it's not as clearcut.  But generally the
pattern still flows much the same. On a really long hike, most of the day
is spent in either the observational or meditative mode - with the
grumbles mostly only just before lunch or dinner ;-)

ginny
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