It’s been quite a while since my last article. In the time since then, so many ideas for articles have come to me and then departed, leaving in search of a new avenue into existence. Why so silent? I’ve been on a journey, one of deep healing and reconnecting.
I recently read something quite poignant, which stayed with me:
“There are four natural sanctuaries: silence, solitude. stillness and simplicity”
Read that again. Really let it sink in. It says so much yet is so simple. And it is exactly the medicine that I have needed the most. The start of this year, I was unable to sing and play music as I would have liked, and even listening to music was quite challenging. I couldn’t be around too much stimuli it seemed and so I was forced to be in silence. And in that silence I was confronted with my solitude. Society makes it very difficult to find these sanctuaries. Right now as I write this I am sat in the kitchen in a house surrounded by other houses, each one with a garden, each needing maintenance. People generally work all week so at the weekend the hedge trimmers and DIY tools come out and suddenly what could be a nice relaxing weekend turns into a constant stream of noisy activity, none of which mine. I had just recently spent a month in a very remote part of Southern Spain, in an off-grid community, where there were more horses than people. I am so grateful to have been able to go there and find so much healing. I found though that nature is far from silent, yet, the sounds around me from the incredible abundance of insects, birds and other creatures, were in absolute harmony with my being. I found solitude. I was far from civilisation, far from WIFI signals, DIYers and cars. I found stillness. Such stillness. Apart from the crickets, creating a sonorous blanket, the soundtrack to summer, at night there was a real sense of life slumbering and recharging ready for the next new day. And I found simplicity. I was staying in a yurt, immersed by nature, so really more of a hobbit home, and was taking care of the basics. Food, sleep, rest. I was working remotely, which was a lovely contrast and a way for me to keep a foot in society still, and in this simplicity I found so much peace and creativity started flowing. In the space of a few weeks I had birthed four new songs and the day before leaving, the fifth emerged, each encapsulating a part of the journey that has been this year so far, and really on life as whole.
I will be writing more as I reflect on the lessons and perspectives I have been afforded through various experiences and moments in my life. For now, I’d like to focus in on one aspect which has brought me so much:
Walking.
I have always loved walking, even becoming a trekking guide, something I have loved doing over the years. There is a reason pilgrimages exist, carving out well-beaten paths to sacred locations. I couldn’t imagine doing any of them on my knees, mind, I’ll stick to using my feet, but it’s something which unites all of us, and inspires those who choose the path. The health benefits of walking are numerous.
It’s strengthens the heart
It improves our metabolism and tones our legs
It’s good for lowering blood sugar
It boosts energy and immune function and can even extend your life
It’s great for creativity and for clearing our mind
And it is my antidepressant of choice. By far
Currently, I’m dog-sitting and you just have to observe our canine friends to understand the importance of walks.
Bella, my canine buddy for the week, is 13, a lady at the dusk of her life. She suffers from arthritis and doesn’t have the energy of a pup anymore, for sure. Bella is a border collie and detests the lead. A true freedom warrior, she wants to go her way. And rightly so in a way. Yet she happily climbs into the car, is a natural nomad and once at our destination, in this case often it is the Ashdown Forest, the home of Winnie the Pooh, she comes to life and the inner pup shines bright. She knows how to pace herself, she loves to take in the scents and foliage surrounding her. She walks alone when she feels like it, but never strays too far and loves being part of the pack. And when we stop for a bite to eat, she settles nearby, keeping an eye on her imaginery flock of sheep and enjoys the quiet time together. In the house she is sometimes morose and sullen yet once her little paws have touched the green pastures of Mother Earth, her spirit alights. In fact, a Native American meditation starts like this:
“The best way to still the spirit is by sitting upon the ground.”
And so, even in the darker days of last winter when my energy was low, I still put one foot in front of the other, even if it was for the briefest of walks, and went into Mother Nature’s embrace. Time and time again. In the stillness and solitude of my healing journey. And the walks got longer and steeper, until I was hiking a 20km hike in the Alpujarras mountains, 1000m of elevation gain, on some paths which hadn’t been used in so long it meant I had to go into Indiana Jones mode, quite literally climbing up the sides of earthy terraces and wriggling under fences, grabbing my straw hat too. Even also with the flatter walks in the serene English countryside, all these walks helped to make my muscles get stronger, my legs become more toned, my lungs and heart align and allow for more oxygen flow to every cell of my being.
I love the path-finding aspect of walking too, like a treasure hunt, sometimes following official paths, marked with some colourful sign; sometimes carving my own path, taking a turn here or there to just see where it will lead me. Feeling at once the buzz of excitement of being totally immersed in nature, off the beaten path, potentially lost, but never really, not in this age of GPS.
And the cherry on the top has to be taking off my footwear, freeing my feet and walking barefoot upon the ground. Grounding. Earthing. I saw a documentary recently on this and was amazed at the amount of science supporting the benefits of getting our soles onto the ground itself.
I can remember the first time I did this consciously in recent years, it had been so long since I’d walked on earth or in mud, probably only as a child when my mother wasn’t looking, that it made me feel dirty and unsafe almost. What might I step on? How dirty will my feet get? But the more I did it, the more my spirit remembered this is how we’re meant to be. Shoes are inventions. Mother Nature didn’t design us with shoes on our feet as we go through the birthing canal. I can hear mothers expelling a sigh of relief. I started yearning opportunities to do it and feel my body relax as I do it. There are many benefits, these are just a few:
Reduces stress
Improves sleep
Reduced inflammation in your joints
Prevent varicose veins
Stronger feet
Balance hormones
Free foot massage!
Improved posture
Improves eyesight
Makes you happier!
So, to finish, I’d like to share with you an initiative I’m starting. Wellness Walks. For anyone who would like to get out into nature, meet new people and reconnect within. The first date, weather depending, is on August 24th at 10.30am. We’ll meet and go on a walk I know well, which has all the ingredients for what we need:
Varied landscape
Gentle rolling hills, but nothing too strenuous
An idyllic spot for lunch, a BYO picnic, by a gentle stream under the shade of a mighty tree, with nearby sheep for company
At lunch, we’ll have a heart-centered sharing, exploring what has perhaps come forth as we walked in the morning, or whatever we might want to express, our words and thoughts finding a safe space to be heard
A connecting and regenerating meditation
Soft open fields for barefoot walking
Silent hiking as we meander along a path in a small wood
Even a couple of country pubs for those might want to linger afterwards
If this is something you’re interested in joining, do get in touch. I’m starting with short, local walks, but envisage extending this further afield, quite literally.
Until then, I hope this article can inspire you to get outside, get your feet on the ground and shift those energies with every step you take!
