Ottie likes to go out early and greet the day. Her kelpie ears and keen nose lead us on a sniffing trail around the sparkling, frosty golf course. The soft pink dawn sky is emerging as we watch the last stars go out in the transition to a new day. 

Ottie has a love of life which she expresses through her whole body, from the tip of her nose, through her dancing paws to the end of her flag-waving tail. Her joy is infectious and she wants to play, sniff, jump in the water and greet other dogs as we journey along the path.  

When we are walking, do we engage with our surroundings in the same relational way, using all our senses and being part of the landscape? Or are we over-focused on thoughts of the past and future, which keep us separate from the environment we are moving through?

It can be interesting to step for a few minutes into an observer role and see what kind of thoughts are passing through our minds.  Are we anxious, maybe trying to fix things, plan things or dwell on the past.  Is this a common pattern for us and is there a character within us who dominates our walk?  What is it they need or want to say, and what do we want to say to them?

How would it be to engage with our walk today from an animal state of mind – to be in the body and completely present within the environment.  To do this we can invite our senses to open and it may help to stop for a moment and shut our eyes, check in with our breathing, feel the ground under our feet.  Tune into listening, notice sounds that are close by and those further away.  Then holding our hands out notice the temperature and feel of the air around us.  Sniff the air to see what kind of day it is.  If we open our mouths that enhances our sense of smell and we can also taste the day.  Then finally bring back a soft focus that allows all the other senses to work together as we walk.  How different does that feel?

I am an artist, musician and orchardist living on the Gower Peninsula. I am writing this blog to share with others the power and joy we can feel as we immerse ourselves in nature recovery.  By returning to our mother earth, I believe this will lead us forward into a more sustainable way of living.  Self care and community care are vital to develop our resilience and then from a more grounded base we can create the world we want to see, starting with small and possible actions.

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All photos and text are the copyright of Witchhazel Wildwood unless otherwise stated.