Being a naturally logical, perhaps even cynical, person I have been known to be a little dismissive of ideas, activities and principles which I consider to be new-age or hippy-dippy. I mean purely dismissive of doing them myself, each to their own and whatever works for you is my philosophy.
However as I get older I find myself becoming more open to alternative ideas. I know some people still view yoga as a hippy practice and I think it will be some time before forest bathing is considered mainstream, however both of these are things I find beneficial. Yoga has obvious benefits for the body and can help you to unwind & relax as well.
As for forest-bathing I think some people add elements to it that I wouldn’t necessarily do myself, however at its core forest-bathing is about embracing the healing powers of being surrounded by trees. There may be differing reasons for believing in this but I do know that I feel a lot calmer and generally at peace with the world when I am within a wood. There is something soothing about trees, whether it’s connected to the energies they release or simply being away from the hustle & bustle of the city, I don’t know but again if it works who am I to question it? Although while I love the idea of forest-bathing I’m not quite a tree-hugger yet but who knows, maybe one day.
While I am gradually becoming more open to different ideas, I still struggle with the concept of meditation. I appreciate the need for some quiet time but like a lot of people when I think of meditation I still have the stereotypical image of sitting cross-legged on the floor, chanting and ohming, and that doesn’t seem very appealing or relaxing to me. However when I was channel-hopping the other day (yes some of us still do that) I landed on BBC4 and an episode of ‘Yorkshire Walks’ a gentle programme which literally featured a lady walking around Yorkshire. During the show she was explaining why she loves walking and she used the phrase ‘meditation in motion’ and this really struck a chord with me – hence using it as the title for this post.
There seem to be several interpretations of the word ‘meditation’ although the recurring theme is that it involves engaging in contemplation or reflection. That statement sounds far more reasonable than the image of the person humming to themselves. This is why I love the idea of meditation in motion as it perfectly encapsulates my reasons for walking. While sitting still I can see how the body could become a distraction when trying to take some time for contemplation. I mean it’s all to easy to imagine getting a numb bum or suddenly feeling a sneeze coming on and is that an eyelash in my eye? Thoughts of reflection & relaxation are long gone and I’m back in the real world, hopping around the room trying to persuade my left cheek to rejoin the party.
Perhaps by distracting our physical selves by going for a walk, adding in an element of motion and movement, this enables us to truly free our minds and enjoy some time for reflection, contemplation and yes even meditation.
That’s how I stroll.
Soothing Strolls 
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