The catharsis of a scenic walk
You know, people’s lives are kind of crazy. Things can often seem crazy at work. It’s crazy keeping up with kids and their schedules, or social and other obligations. Even having fun on a Saturday night can get a little crazy!
Every now and then in our lives, our bodies need to relax, regroup, and rejuvenate. It’s a lofty goal in fact, when we’re stuck in traffic jams at rush hour, rushing through the mall to buy last-minute gifts, or fast approaching a deadline we’ve worked so hard for. But rejuvenation is essential. Why do you think yoga has become a more popular practice in the last twenty to thirty years?
I practice yoga and I love it. Especially when I can practice outdoors or in a quiet and beautiful environment. I must say that getting out into the fresh air and breathing fresh air, participating in nature, be it walking, hiking, cycling or practicing yoga, is extremely cathartic. There is nothing like that. My new love is simply going for a walk or a walk, somewhere with beautiful scenery or views, where my mind can get away from the pressures of life.
Today I went for a walk with my boyfriend. We had recently dealt with our share of stress, due to illness (our whole house collapsed with a strange respiratory virus that literally made us spin in our heads! We were all dizzy. Did you know that there is actually a drug that takes the vertigo away?) to an unusually early cold snap with over twenty inches of snow, which caught a lot of people off guard, not to mention the endless work we both had to do on our jobs (which we both do from home! )! It seemed like we had become attached to our computer monitors and I was feeling very claustrophobic.
After days of working indoors, locked up and feeling some communion with my Internet connection, I had had enough. I needed to get out of our little condo and get some fresh air (we live in Aspen, Colorado, where all the condos are small, it looks a lot like New York City, there isn’t much space). We drove up to the railings of Independence Pass, where it is locked for the winter season. We parked, got out and started walking. Of course, it wasn’t a true hike through the country (we were walking on pavement), but we went at a good pace for over an hour before turning around. The cool, crisp air was fantastic (and since most of this part of the pass is completely exposed to the south, we weren’t in danger of freezing). The best part was the magnificent views! It felt so good to be outside, taking in everything!
It’s times like these that I get what I like to call my most “creative” ideas. I can fantasize or lose myself in the wonder of the desert. My imagination runs wild! One of those wild adventures of the mind started like this: I realized I was sweating hot, even though I only had yoga pants, a bra, and a light wool jacket. The air was still cooling most of my body, but my chest seemed to stay quite warm (and even sweaty)! That’s when my mind said goodbye. I wonder if my chest is not getting cold because I have silicone implants.
So I said out loud to my boyfriend, “If they ever found me frozen to death here, honey … I wonder if my chest would freeze.”
“That ?!” he laughed incredulously, knowing that I was referring to my silicone implants. “That’s out there!”
I knew it was. But I continued, “Well, you know. My breasts never get cold!” I said laughing.
“It is not like this?” I ask.
“No! But I’m not sure if it’s because when I’m outside in the freezing cold, I move around a lot, I exercise, my chest stays warm from the extra weight, or because my lungs are working so hard.” ? “I contemplated this, before continuing,” Because I never go out in freezing weather and just stand, so it’s hard to tell if they would be hot, if I was still! “
“That’s too weird, sweetie!” he teased me. We both laugh at the strange places your mind (well, my mind) can go to the edge of the wasteland.
I admit it, it was a twisted comic moment. Why the heck was I thinking about whether my a-aunts would freeze anyway? Let me ask the question that many girls have asked themselves (isn’t it?), But they were too afraid to ask!
I recently read an opinion column in the local newspaper that suggested they set up a booth at the base of one of Aspen’s most popular hikes, the Smuggler Loop. The author pointed out how so many people use hiking as a way to deal with the pressures of life, so the cabin staff at the base could be served by a priest, a counselor, etc. ideas, ie “Cardio Counselors” or “Reverend at Reeboks”. It was fun. I thought: That could work! But the truth is that many people go out into nature and take walks to think, not to talk! Walk, Walk – Getting out and breathing fresh air is extremely exhilarating and can solve a world of problems. It could be argued that given the places my mind travels on these hikes, perhaps a little psychological help would not be out of place! I swear, my pocket version of “Psychology for Dummies” never warned me of the dangers of going crazy on the road.
The point is, I did this great hike and experienced some incredibly peaceful contemplative moments, as well as lots of laughs along the way. It was actually a nice experience for the self-proclaimed city girl that I am. But it also cleared my head. Believe me, I have many things in my life that cloud or distort my thoughts and stress me out. This little excursion took me to another world and I enjoyed the moment, as well as the wonderful benefits for my body!
