Contemplative Hiking

A subject I haven’t broached yet on this blog is the idea that hiking is great way to stay fit because it’s enjoyable and grounding in way that standing on the elliptical for an hour at the gym is not. Notice what I didn’t say: I didn’t say that hiking was a great way to [...]

There are times when all of us, at some point, experience a mild bout of “the blues.” Either it’s circumstantial —there is something worrisome going on in our life— or it’s just the normal ebb and flow of mood. If you’re a woman, it can be hormonal or it can be the result of poor [...]

We’ve all experienced this, haven’t we? We look forward to getting outside all week, because work has been stressful or because we need some peace and quiet, or because we long to smell the freshness of the forest. But when we’re there on the trail, we are miserable because we can’t shut off negative thoughts. [...]

I’ve been considering categorizing hikes on a “Payoff Scale” – in other words, what is the payoff in terms of scenery, ambiance, beauty in relationship to the effort (elevation gain and distance)? I know that it’s not very “contemplative” to rate trails like this, but it sure is helpful in managing your time and energy [...]

Intentions are powerful forces for the psyche. Setting an intention is like putting out a message into the Universe announcing your arrival at a certain point in time and space, instead of following the whims of randomness. When you set an intention, you participate in the Law of Attraction because you have already visualized the [...]

We’ve all had those days, haven’t we? Something bad happens, someone says something insensitive, and suddenly our good mood is gone. Someone offends us and we feel threatened, angry and resentful. It isn’t long before the toxic thoughts (“what a jerk!”) turn into toxic, body-felt emotions: headache, heartburn, tight shoulders and stomach, nausea and even [...]

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?

And yet despite having already lived through many cold winters, practising how to keep healthy and happy throughout the cooler months becomes a challenge for many, myself included. With this in mind, I decided to put this little list together to help bring focus and remind us to cultivate good habits that will help us feel our best all winter long.