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Joyce Wolpert

Aging Matters

Joyce Wolpert, licensed counselor and movement therapist, looks backward and forward at our life's journey.

“Let’s Start with a Walk…”

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It’s good for us; who can argue?  Every doctor and health expert tell us to pump that blood, stretch those muscles. It’s a good way to get up an get going, so we don’t waste the day. We may meet friends and interact, all good for the brain cells.
    There’s walking paraphernalia, sturdy shoes and inserts, wick-a-way nylon to dismiss sweat and heaven forbid, actual body odors, MP3 players to pipe soothing sounds through our ears. There’s walking indoors which calls for purchase of a treadmill or joining a gym which means having a ready way to get there. There’s walking outdoors which means finding routes with a minimum of traffic where we won’t feel too bored or get in a rut which could discourage regular usage.  All of this costs money, takes planning,  may involve coordination with others.
    What about the actual walk itself?  What is it like to propel our body through space for the purpose of being fully engaged in movement and aware of scenery changes as we pass by?  How can we make our walks anything but routine, rather journeys of wonder and discovery?
    Is this fantasy in this age when all territory has been mapped out and where information saturates our every life experience?  Consider John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, who pined: “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”  Or who saw fulfillment for our essential hunger: “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to stay in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.”
    How can we avail ourselves of these blessings in everyday jaunts?  What about instead of taking a pre-determined route to allow your senses to lead you?  Go where the sun is shining down, where leaves are blowing and beckoning, where bright flowers bloom, where water runs and glistens. Even semi-urban neighborhood may have bits of greenery and byways where we can open our senses.  Stop when you see something that draws you, and really take it in.
    Breathe deeply and focus on what you see and hear and smell rather than organizing your mental shopping list.  This will clear your mind to be ready to take on the day with fresher perspective. Know that your awareness and full presence during the walk is what really counts to buoy your life energy, not the exact number of steps you talk.
    Perhaps you’re walking slower than you did; perhaps you’re more concerned with balance now.  But you are moving through the journey of your life. To quote John Muir again: “In the eternal youth of nature, you may renew your own.”  Have fun out there, step by step, smell by smell.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 08/02/11 at 07:54 AM

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Posted by myjz2012 on 04/15/13 at 08:48 AM

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