Solo Walking In Nature

Solo walking in nature, with a question or theme for the walk involves opening up to the possibility there are different kinds of consciousness present in the environment. To help us, we typically use a ‘gateway’, which can be anything from a marker in the landscape, like a tree or rock, to an actual gate. Stepping through this gateway, we make the intention to open all our senses and tune in to a communication with nature, where animals, trees or other beings might speak to us, and where the people we meet assume a symbolic significance.

Below is an account of a piece of work with the Bridestones, a group of gritstone rocks near Todmorden. In sharing this story I hope to give an example of this way of working.

As the solo walker approached the stones, she opens her sensory awareness and greets them as magical beings. She asks her question for the walk and waits for a sense, a gentle tug, or a hunch that suggests what to do next.

The stones seem to guide her to a gateway, and she must push herself through to enter the “Realm of Stones”.

On the other side she follows a little trail that leads to a particular stone. She asks her question again: “What is between me and the life I want, and how can I release it?”

The stone says “Look at me, how I balance on this little point. You need to work on your balance. Your thoughts are in the way and make you lean too heavily into unworthiness. Everything you need will come to you because it is with you right now, trying to get your attention.”

The walker thanks the stone and feels a pull to wander over to a little smooth stone seat. She sits down and asks her question again. The stones tell her she needs to anchor herself to a sense of the eternal as they do. Storms rage on the surface and stillness lies beneath, and it’s all happening simultaneously. If she can anchor down to the eternal, she will not get so lost in the storm and the thoughts it brings. The third message is to keep her heart open.

After a while the stones tell her to return to the threshold and re-enter ordinary reality. At first she can’t seem to find it, as if the stones themselves have shape-shifted and changed position. But eventually she does and she wriggles through like a fish into a new world. She’s aware she feels more open and alive, and laughs at the tickle of stone against skin and bone.

She thanks the stones and the work is complete.

It can take a while for the teachings from a solo walk to sink in and make sense. It’s good to share the experience with others doing their own solo walks and journal about it or make something that holds the messages for us, returning later to continue to absorb them.

Review

I wanted to follow up from our medicine walk workshop you kindly delivered for the MA in Psychotherapy Studies, provide some feedback, and to say thank you. 

I found the session you took us through a great experience; one that allowed me to focus more on myself and what my intention was about.  

The way you reflected my journey of the medicine walk back to me and the use of your tone and words was so enlightening. It felt a gift to hear it reflected back to me and how it went from an experience I had to one that gave me so much back personally. It reminded me of the power of great reflection back for our clients. 

I also enjoyed listening to your reflections of other people's journeys.  I genuinely could have listened to you all day and would have liked to have understood a little more around the alter and how you use shamanic aspects in your work, but appreciate we were tied by time on the day we saw you. 

Thank you for taking the time to visit us and offer this great learning experience. 

MA Psychotherapy Studies, Bishop Auckland College 2024