Slowing down in different ways

We have 2 big dogs, and anyone who knows dogs knows that big dogs need to be walked. Every day. Usually my husband walks them in the morning, but recently he had to get to work early, so I volunteered. As I was walking in the woods, I reflected on what dog walking has meant to me. Twelve years ago, when we got our older dog, Clyde, I walked him every morning. It was quiet time for myself, and a ritual that I really enjoyed. As our kids got older and their school schedules changed, our morning routine changed also, and my husband gradually took over dog walking. When we got our second dog, Comet (now 5), I walked him for about 6 months and once he was trained, he joined my husband and walked with the big boys. Now, I usually do a morning Yoga and Meditation practice, while my husband is out walking the dogs.

I reflected on this during my walk and thought about how my daily Yoga practice compares to walking. When I am doing Yoga, I am turning my attention inward. I am slowing down, though in a different way than walking in the woods. I am connecting with my own inner essence, rather than with nature and the earth, yet in many ways, it is the same. It is a spiritual practice that goes beyond exercise and gives me a foundation for my day.

Walking each morning is a wonderful way to slow down and to navigate the changing seasons. In our fast-paced world, it is so easy it is to lose touch with nature and miss the subtle signals that tell you that the seasons are changing. Sometimes it seems like one day it’s 90 degrees outside and the next day it’s snowing!  Walking every morning helps you to stay in tune to the natural rhythm of time, so those cold icy days of winter don’t come as such a shock. And when you are walking in the winter, you also see the early signs of spring, which help get you through those last few icy days of March.

Whatever you can do to create some quiet time in your life will reap you unimaginable benefits. Just make it something that you can do every day, and that won’t feel like a burden. Since my morning Yoga practice would make daily dog-walking a challenge, I am grateful that my husband enjoys that walk and is able to do it on a regular basis, and I am grateful that I have a morning routine that allows me to “paws” in my life. And when I get the opportunity to substitute walk, I can enjoy the changing seasons, too.