I am on a walking holiday in Northumberland. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that he needed to walk for four hours a day – just to keep sane. I am not sure that this is my experience.
Maslow’s triangle – as understood by me – theorises that first we need to attend to our basic survival needs – shelter and food; and that when these needs are met then we have spare capacity to fulfil our needs for belonging and intimacy … and then finally when all our “earthly” needs are met, we have the time and energy to start to ponder who we are and what life is all about – looking at the more abstract questions – moving into the realm of philosophy and spirituality…
Well … if I am walking – properly walking – for miles – then it is either a weekend or I’m on holiday … either way my basic needs are met – if I am walking then I am taking it as read that I have enough to eat, somewhere to sleep tonight, and that I am neither friendless or familyless…
Thus, it seems to me, that it is only natural that my mind will wander – start to review and question – I may start with why someone looked at me funny – but, unless it is a really bad day – I will quickly move on to the “Who am I?” “Why am I here?” level of pondering…
This is not necessarily helpful … I really get that I am out in nature, that I am involved in vigorous exercise; my heart, pulse and lungs are getting a good work out – but my mind is all over the place…
During my walk this morning I decided that the reason I am so obsessed by money is not because I am materialistic – it is because I am buying into the capitalist ideology that I live in and measuring my worth and success by how much money I earn / make … and the reason I find myself thinking about this endlessly is because I have a belief that I am a disappointment to everyone around me… SEE WHAT I MEAN … how is walking good for me? Yes this may be true – but I just wanted to be jolly and get some exercise – be on holiday and have fun!
But, of course, the bit I missed was the bit about FOUR HOURS a day…
By the time we had been walking for some time – not four hours – but maybe two – I had this wonderful sense of calm – I was listening to the sounds of the river, watching the sunlight play on the water, following little rustling noises in the undergrowth, surveying the vista unfold in front of me as something new came into view…
This evening we had, unusually for us, some wine with our meal – I am very susceptible to alcohol, and feel it take my thinking down another notch … not where I would want to be if it were in the middle of the day … but for the last few hours before bed – it feels soothing and good … “I can see why people drink” I say to Tom… I can also see why people walk – it takes a while – but I really did end up having the best time 🙂
