Earlier this week I was reminded of the power of a good wander. I found myself alone in Lisbon, in a neighborhood where I once spent 6, life-changing weeks. And, I had in front of me a fully unplanned afternoon.
So, what’s a girl to do but set out on a proper, aimless, wander! As I wandered thru the familiar yet changed streets I was reminded of all that has transpired in my own life since I first set foot in this neighborhood - how I am in many ways the same and in other ways so different of a person, leading a very different life than I could have predicted then and how though I didn’t know it then those weeks in that neighborhood helped me find the courage to trust myself and making some significant life leaps.
More importantly, I found myself out of my head and connected to the vivid colors, cracks and beauty right in front of me. It cleared space in my mind and connected me to the crazy, wandering wonder that life can be. It connected me to ME - and by the end, with tired feet, I was breathing deeper, fuller more grateful breaths.
Last year, about this time, I hosted a >>mini retreat<< where we did some exploring of core values and set an intention for the months ahead that would honor them. In the middle of the workshop, having covered a bit of content on values and thus given the group a lot to think about, I sent them outside on a wander. The instruction were simple: no phones, pay attention to what’s in front of you, follow what grabs your attention and return in 90 minutes.
I have to admit, part of me was feeling guilty for hosting a workshop and then prescribing wandering, but each participant came back lighter and brighter exclaiming that they couldn’t remember the last time they walked around aimlessly, without a task at hand. They also had easier access to their heart and the intention that would be most meaningful for them.
For those of us who create, care for others, lead, find ourselves amidst a life transition and/or generally have full lives a regular wandering ritual is an amazing way to stay connected to your essence and values and to spark creativity and new ideas.
Here’s to a ritual of regular wandering time.
Remember: A ritual of wandering need not require a foreign city and an entire afternoon (though a wander of that kind is certainly a great idea!) You can set aside 20 minutes for a wandering walk outside your doorstop. Wandering can be a daily, weekly, monthly and/or annual ritual. A wander can be solo or with a friend or partner.
Extras: Here’s a link to a NY Times article, The Little Rituals That Keep Us Going about every day ordinary rituals and Casper ter Kuile’s book The Power of Ritual book which is all about creating rituals that spark meaning and connection.