fit body
Take a Silent Hike TIPS FOR WALKING MINDFULLY IN NATURE by Sheila Julson
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Dallas Metroplex Edition
NADallas.com
ilent hikes offer an opportunity to be immersed in nature and quiet the internal chatter that too often consumes our daily routine. Wesley Trimble, communications and creative director of the American Hiking Society, has observed a growing interest in ecotherapies such as silent hikes that meld solitude and mindfulness with outdoor recreation. “Just getting out into nature, no matter where you are, is a great way to enjoy its beauty and focus on the experience,” he says. When heading out on a silent hike or walk, in a group or alone, in a park or around the neighborhood, Trimble recommends taking long, deep, deliberate breaths. This allows the body to relax and focus on moving through space while being aware of sensory experiences. Acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton takes a quiet hike every day. The author of One Square Inch of Silence has traveled the globe for four decades in search of quiet, natural spaces in which to record ecological soundscapes such as crashing ocean waves or the snowy crickets of Washington State. “Opening up in a naturally quiet place in nature or the wilderness lets you become physically healthier, mentally clearer and more in touch with what you really want,” he says. Hempton suggests that a silent hike begin with listening, which for mammals is a primary way to gather information: “Any event creates a sound, and that sound carries information about that event.” When heading into a natural area, he recommends listening for the furthest sounds and focusing on the faintest ones. “Then listen to the whole place and notice what you feel. There’s nothing you need to say, but everything you need to hear.” According to Hempton, it takes less time to enjoy the benefits of a silent hike than
