The Mountains Are Calling
I will leave for a Colorado trip in just a few days. I'm excited to be reunited with the other half of my soul that permanently resides in the mountains. Each pilgrimage to the wilderness feels like reuniting with a wise old friend who has more stories to tell than I could hear in many lifetimes. The peaks, valleys, streams, trees, and wildlife whisper truths that are difficult to grasp in the everyday busyness of life. When I’m immersed in nature, it's as if I can hear it say, "We have seen it all before. Things come, things go. Yet life continues, and it is beautiful."
I get twitchy if I don't spend time in the mountains at least once or twice a year. A nagging sensation will drip in my mind like a leaky faucet, echoing the words of John Muir:
"The mountains are calling and I must go."
John Muir is considered the father of America's National Parks. He was an early advocate for protecting the wilderness and making it accessible to the public. Without his activism, we may not have places like Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. Muir was a deep thinker, too. He could wax philosophical with the best of them:
"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike."
I very much agree. The vast majority of our lives are spent indoors. We have lost most of our connection with nature, and it contributes to our overall mental and physical problems. It is kind of interesting to me that the two prevailing origin narratives for humans - evolution and divine creation - both tell a story of how humans were created out of the earth. Evolution speaks to life emerging from the Earth through a series of tiny changes over time, and the book of Genesis recounts God scooping up some dirt and breathing the breath of life into it, which forms Adam, whom he then places in a garden. These narratives are so similar to me that I still don't get why science and religion have been so at odds with each other, but I digress.
The main point of today's transformation tip is that you must spend time outside, away from the hustle and bustle. When indoors, we surround ourselves with things that have little to no life energy. Indoor environments are often bleak, dead and sterile. But when we spend time in nature, we immerse ourselves in a living ecosystem. This idea is essential because our environment directly affects our mind, body, and soul. Intentional time spent lingering outside will boost our spirits, calm our bodies, and widen our perspective.
Whether it's your backyard, a local park, or a pilgrimage to the wild places, listen for the nagging in your spirit and heed nature's invitation. She has gifts to offer.
Happy to be in your corner,
Tom Page, LCPC
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