Early morning hikes, complete with MP3 player, sunglasses, and poles often lead to zoning out.
My mind is off on problem solving or simple list making.
Living in the moment takes some practice.
I take off the sunglasses, unplug the music, blow my nose, and reorient my senses.
This is important in survival practice. Dark glasses protect eyes from glare but they also make identifying bear scratchings or rattle snakes more difficult. Gray skies look more menacing, and obscure trails blend into the forest.
Music hide the soft noises of woodland creatures, distant barking or howling, hunter's shooting a few rounds. Hearing is a vital sense which contributes to the other senses in ways not fully understood.
To fully appreciate the subtle smells of the forest, a person has to clear the nasal passages of all other home smells. Blowing the nose clears the mucos. Sounds gross, but its a blunt reality. Hard to distinguish campfires from cigarettes unless I do this first.
Sensory Reorientation is a technique I use when I really want to touch the wilderness.
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