The longest hike that Heidi & I went on in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park recently was Bote Mountain. The hike turned out to be a total of 8.5 miles, on it's own that doesn't sound too bad but to reach the top of the mountain we hiked up 3,000 feet in a about 3.5 miles from the parking lot. The day was hot & the humidity was very high again. I was carrying a framed pack with our water, lunch & my camera in it....probably 20-30 pounds. The difficult part of this hike was that there were no switchbacks so we literally hiked straight up the mountain.
On the way up we enjoyed the scenery very much but were annoyed by a bunch of flies/gnats that seemed to continue to fly around our heads. As we hiked I thought about my deep connection with nature & the beauty all around me but as I began to get tired I started to understand why exercise (like yoga) is connected to several of the worlds religions. The endorphins that are released from physical exercise lift your mind to a new & amazing place. It allows you to move beyond the EGO & into a deep spiritual place.
I use to be a pretty good athlete when I was younger & although I had experienced this release of endorphins when I was younger the body/mind connection has never been clearer to me then in the last year. Exercise has become a bigger part of my life over the past year. I currently ride my bike between 18-25 miles a day & Heidi & I hike with the dogs about 4 miles a day. I have experienced this body/mind connection often in the past year but never to the extent I felt it on Bote Mountain.
I wish I had a bunch of great pictures to share from this journey but the sad part of our climb was that there was never a clear vista to look upon. We did see some lovely views through the trees but nothing that came out well in pictures. We sat on the top of the mountain for a long time & ate our lunch (a bunch of granola bars). As we sat there I reflected on the wonderful feeling of accomplishing this great climb & I began to realize the extent of this body/mind connection.
So, what's the point of this blog? Take care of your body, exercise & eat well. Your body is the shell that holds your spirit & the better it works, the easier it is to connect to your spirit. Exercise is one way to move beyond the EGO & listen to your true self (soul). The connection to your true self is the most important connection you can make & whatever helps you reach this deep level of yourself I encourage you to do.....for me exercise & silence are the two easiest ways to get there.
I hope you have a great weekend!!
Till Monday,
Bill
PS I am still looking for guest bloggers, if you're interested in writing something for my blog contact me at timberwolf12345@gmail.com
Quote of the day: "The deep connection to our true self can be realized through daily exercise. Take time to grow the body/mind connection & discover the joy in your soul."
9 comments:
Connecting with the body, mind and soul is key to one's spiritual journey. The path you chose to hike looks beautiful and perfect for that inner connection. Have a wonderful weekend.
Great post Bill! Nature is a great healer - after my rotten week, think that I had been go find a place by the sea to sit and have my pb & j. Thanks again for your comments!
Caron
Very inspiring article :}. Body, mind and spirit are all important and we often forget to take time out and care for our bodies. I've been learning more about the spiritual journey in a really good book called, "Streetwise Spirituality." I really have enjoyed this one because the concepts the author uses are simple enough for anyone to understand and use.
Thanks everyone & welcome Audrey I think it's amazing the steps forward we can take by understanding & taking care of our bodies. I couldn't believe how much this hike & the physical activity it encompassed opened my mind. I look forward to hearing from you more.
Hugs,
Bill
Walking in nature is definitely a spiritual journey that I have discovered many years ago. We can certainly relate the physical journey with the journey of life. The movement toward growth, the movement toward more spirituality, the movement toward the 'top of the mountain,' that we can never really reach. I hike/climb the mountains of Colorado, and nothing is more rewarding. The thrill that I find in the cathedral of nature, never fails to move me and uplift me. Thanks for the wonderful blog, and I'll be hanging around.
Pronams, Elle
Thanks Elle & welcome I'm glad you'll be hanging out for a while. I love nature please feel free to look back at all the blogs I've written about it. CO is a beautiful state hoping to come back and visit again soon.
Hugs,
Bill
Wow, that's a great place for recharge my body and refreshing my mind. I am happy to see this nice place. Thanks for posting.
Thank you for another great article. Where else could anyone get that kind of information in such a perfect way of presentation.
Thanks for such a great post and the review, I am totally impressed! Keep stuff like this coming!........
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