The Art of Slowing Down
People ask me all the time, “What is WildWood Magic?” And although I have at least a thousand things to say about it, the phrase “The Art of Slowing Down” has been coming to me more and more. When we intentionally release control and attachment, we are gifted with authentic magic, always happening right under our noses. Meandering in a quiet forest has taught me to Embrace the Mystery of life as if seeing the world through the eyes of a child, filled with awe and wonder. My Sacred Practices have helped me discover a world I never knew existed.
Once a speed walker, constantly checking my mileage and time, I was always trying to beat my best stats and climb that mountain a little faster than last time. I spent six months hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT) in fear of reaching Mount Katahdin to find out they had closed the summit due to bad weather. I was literally obsessed with moving up my timeline to reach the legendary Baxter State Park, where the final climb to the northern terminus of the AT begins. The day finally arrived and was not like anything I had imagined.
I had indeed sped up my itinerary, adding a few extra miles to a day here and there, and reached Baxter one full day ahead of my anticipated timing. I had scheduled a flight back to Georgia a few days after my assumed completion. Booking that flight in advance was difficult because you never knew what you would encounter in those weeks on the trail in between!
That final hike was one of the hardest I had, with a mixture of challenging terrain and a myriad of weather conditions that today would have kept me off such steep rock faces altogether! Rain, sleet, snow, and clouds so thick I (thankfully???) couldn’t see the sheer drop off just a few feet away plagued me the entire time. When I finally grabbed that sign at the much anticipated “end,” I was holding on, not just in celebration but in exhaustion, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
The very next day, the day I had initially “planned” my summit hike, was warm, sunny, and one of the most beautiful days I had seen yet.
I share this with you now as my most profound lesson …and blessings… that I received during this time in my life. I learned beyond a shadow of a doubt that when I live in the state of Divine Trust, I am wholly guided and protected. Now, my walks in nature may have a destination to begin, but when I loosen the reigns of control and attachment, they take me to places I could never have dreamed. Slowing down has taught me that all is well and everything is happening in divine timing. When I have no expectations, I am gifted with seeing the magic hiding in plain sight, if only I go slow enough to catch a glimpse.
WildWood Magic is simply that which cannot be explained or photographed (although I try all the time!); it is The Art of Slowing Down, with your eyes and heart wide-open, just being a witness to life in full bloom.
The next time you feel like you are in a hurry, say to yourself, “Oh yeah, I have the PERFECT amount of time!” And see if it doesn’t just work out… Just. Like. That.
Namaste
