On this past fall break I
went hiking with my friends along Three Ridges in the Washington National
Forest. Prior to the hike I was already
getting excited to put into practice the concepts and topics discussed in
class. Sure enough about 20 minutes into
the hike, flow came to my attention. As
I began to sense the rhythm of my footsteps and the pattern of my breaths, I
slowly became present. Although, I admit
it was difficult to remain fully present, since my thoughts continually drifted
towards either the past or future.
However, it was an invigorating experience to be able to center my
thoughts on the immediate circumstances and feel the pressures of society fall
to the ground. As my actions merged with
my awareness I could actually focus on the task immediately before me.
Looking back on the hike
the most memorable experiences where the times when I was not aware of the
flow, but naturally immersed in the present.
During this time, I was neither day dreaming nor zoning out but instead
experiencing harmony between my heart and mind.
Emotion and intellect seemed to merge inside, forming an incredible
presence of peace. Hopefully I will be
able to venture out on a long-term hike, where I’m sure a deeper sense of flow
might happen.
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