Our goal as Druids is to connect with nature. Go to any trail and you will see people walking like maniacs. It's as if hiking is something to get past, to get it over with. Moving fast on trails forces you to look down so that you don't trip and crash. Moving in this rushed mindset disturbs the flow of nature around you and severely limits seeing the truth of nature. As a teacher of mine says, "everything happened before you got there and after you left. ". To make a better connection be like the deer. When you see deer in a meadow grazing, they are peaceful, have their heads down and don't seem to be moving much. Look away for a few minutes and then observe the deer again and it can be startling how far they've traveled across the meadow. They still have their heads down and are peacefully grazing but they've moved clear across the meadow! This is how you want to move to really see nature. SLOW DOWN. It takes practice and an understanding of what you're trying to accomplish to build the patience to travel down a path like this. Save the power walking for when you're with friends who just can't slow down. To connect, slow down. Take a few steps and pause. Look all around with your ears always tuned to the bird language. What are they saying? Take a few steps and pause. You will start seeing and noticing things you simply can't notice when you're in a race to reach the top of the mountain. Be curious of your surroundings, go explore the things that catch your attention. You aren't in a hurry. Smile and let the other people rush past on the trail. This is exactly what nature does. Learn to meander. Move slowly with no destination, no time limit.
Become a Meanderthal.
I was recently on a trail with friends and they were constantly having to stop and wait for my wife and I to "catch up", I think they thought we were feeble and couldn't "keep up ". Hmmm, we have been Meanderthal's for a very long time and simply don't power walk in nature anymore. There are just to many interesting things to see! An example is at one of the times they were waiting ahead of us I called them back. Come back, come back I waved to them, they were amazed as I pointed out, in the middle of the trail they had just zoomed down were owl casts! Very interesting find with lots of information about who lived in the vicinity and who the owl was eating at that season. If you choose to become a Meanderthal, know that you will get nowhere fast. But what you'll discover is that everything is right where you are, wherever you are! You will find yourself feeling more a part of the world and the path that you are on. Suddenly you'll realize you are a part of nature and doing what nature does instead of rush rush rushing. Nature closes to that mind set. You're a Druid? Then teach yourself to be a Meanderthal and you will connect with nature like never before!