Hiking up The Cobbler, a famous Scottish Munro, I try to pay attention to every detail. The sight of wispy clouds whipping in front of the jagged peak up ahead. The sound of my hiking boots navigating the rocky path. The coconutty scent of spring gorse filling my nostrils. The temperature of the breeze as it tousles my hair and the sounds of nesting birds in the trees. It’s hard to believe that there have been times I’ve missed half of this, simply tearing my way up the trail and trying to reach the summit as fast as possible while I work through problems or revisit past conversations.
Certainly, there’s a time and a place for striding out at a fast pace and figuring out challenges and projects, after all, walking helps you think, so I’m often happy to just let my mind wander. But as a yoga and meditation teacher and practitioner, I’ve also learned that mindfulness integrating mindfulness techniques to my hikes can add a whole new dimension and depth to my favorite activity. If you haven’t tried it before, practicing mindfulness on the trail can be a great way to get more out of your hikes and reap the benefits of mindfulness meditation.
