Have there been days when you’ve felt lost, alone, can’t find the answers or just looking for guidance? Have you felt stressed, overwhelmed, depressed or even darker?
These days are becoming more of the normal for many people, especially with the world that we live in that is moving at such a fast pace, having many demands, working towards deadlines and outcomes, and wanting the hit of instant gratification.
If there was a way of finding answers to the above, if it was free, convenient, easy, and relaxing, would you be interested? You should read on! Hippocrates of Kos, traditionally known as the Father of Medicine has quoted that “Nature itself is the best physician”, he also quoted “Walking is man’s best medicine” – this then leads us into the discussion of MEDICINE WALKS and how they can heal, align our thoughts and relieve our demons.
Everyone on this planet has access to a park, forest, river, zoo, garden, beach, back or front yard, or their own imagination. Anywhere there is air you can take yourself on a Medicine Walk, it’s as simple as setting your intention to find the answers to what is bothering or hindering you. To walk or imagine you are walking in nature, to just be still, observe and take in the energy of Mother Earth, her trees, plants and animals is to invest in yourself. This investment will repay you 10-fold with an outlay of nothing, zip, nada, nil!
Imagine yourself in a place of no expectations, there is nothing you have to prove, no deadline you have to meet it is purely a place of innocence. Ask yourself, what happens when I strip back all the layers of guilt, dependency, denial, and disappointment…. you end up with freedom and if you are entering a Medicine Walk with intention on your mind you will come away with answers and contentment. Medicine Walks are as easy as….at the start of your journey take 3 deep, slow breaths, inhale through your mouth and exhale through your nose.
As you are taking your breaths ask the Universe your question(s) and your question could cover many different topics such as dealing with the grief of a lost one or pet, worrying about your finances, where is my true love, when will I start my family, should I stay in my job or change careers. And then off you go, start your walk, look for signs and symbols along the way, let your eyes peruse the scenery you don’t need to force anything and if something takes your eye like a feather, a beautiful flower, a pinecone or a coin, pick it up and listen to the messages. Everything has energy, and everything has a specific meaning, you just have to let yourself go and feel into it.
To go on a Medicine Walk with Grief on your mind would provide a place for contemplation. Nature allows you to let go of your thoughts and relax for a while, reducing anxiety and stress so that you can begin to heal.
Medicine Walks with Grief are best in the morning when the dew is on the ground, when there is a light drizzle as your tears will be encouraged to flow and clean your soul.
There can be many signs and symbols along your Medicine Walk and one of the most common is feathers. The feather is a message from your Angels, a sign of confirmation and acknowledgment from a higher source that you will succeed, always a warming omen when you are worrying about finances.
As you are strolling along you may see a fern with the fronds curled at the tips, this is a sign to let life unfold in its own timing, you maybe yearning to conceive a child and start a family, the fern could be reminding you to be patient, do not force the issue, everything happens in the right timing.
Another symbol of pregnancy is seeing a nest with eggs in it which connotates new beginnings in a protected environment, these signs and symbols are all around you, you just need to be present.
Maybe a spider web has come to your attention, the spider is a creator of weaving dreams into fruition, for example, if you are at a crossroads and looking to change your career or job, the spider web will give you a realisation that you will bring your dream into fruition, you will discover your purpose and be led in the direction of your choice. Taking a Medicine Walk with intention, a calm mind, a curious disposition and an attention to detail can give you many messages of hope, encouragement, direction, belief and many more feelings or answers to your questions.
Mother Earth is a powerful provider if you just go on your walk with an open mind and a receiving heart. She will guide you to possibilities unbeknownst to yourself, she will push you towards goals in a timely manner, protect you from making decisions that aren’t of your highest good, prepare you for clarity and consideration to opportunities that otherwise haven’t come into your psyche.
When was the last time you walked along a beach, felt the wind in your hair, the salt on your tongue, the sand between your toes and you felt at peace! Why don’t we make this a conscious practice, why are we always too busy to make the time to walk in nature, smell the eucalypts, listen to the wild birds singing to each other, set our imaginations free as we watch a rabbit scurry into a warren?
We prioritise work, paying bills, deciding what’s for dinner and getting petrol before we prioritise our well-being, decluttering our minds, bodies and souls and making time for our children who grow up and move away before we can blink an eye. Have you ever sat under a shelter in your backyard during a storm, heard the thunder which is encouraging you to think before you speak and that being loud doesn’t mean being correct.
Rain is comforting you by letting you know tears are productive, cleansing and healing. A puddle on the ground is identifying pockets of confusion that may be hindering your path and the mist after the storm indicates illusions and limiting beliefs and to guard yourself against them. Nature is a provider of hope, she is a creator of wisdom, protection, and distribution with no preconceived expectations or requirement but to be loved and in return she will love.
Medicine Walks (and you can give them any title that fits your lifestyle, Mindful Meanders, Recalibration Strolls, Peaceful Promenades or Seek and Find), it doesn’t matter what you call them, just do it.
Eckhart Tolle quotes: Everything natural - every flower, tree, and animal - has important lessons to teach us if we would only stop, look, and listen.
