Contemplative Hiking

The best thing about having a regular contemplative practice in nature is that there’s always a place to go, literally or just in your mind, where you are taken out of your ego self and into a realm that holds beauty and timelessness.

Feeling burn out is a sign that you need time away to do something new and rejuvenating to your mind and body. If you’re a hiker and enjoy being out in nature, it’s a good time to find a trail in a new location—somewhere you’ve always wanted to go or a place with new scenery and landscapes. When even hiking doesn’t sound all that fun any more, you know it’s time to get out of your usual rut and go somewhere unfamiliar.

How mindful are you of your body? Can you tell when your energy tank is half-full, so have just about enough stamina to hike safely back to your car? Or do you become so distracted by the company you’re keeping, by your goal and by the scenery that you exhaust yourself and don’t realize it until it’s too late?