The Wilderness Connection

Posted byLisa at Micro of the MacroPosted inBeauty of Nature, Spirituality, TravelTags:, , , , , , , ,
Great Basin National Park, Nevada

I’ve just finished reading Scott Stillman’s book Wilderness: The Gateway to the Soul.  It evokes many of the feelings and musings I experienced while exploring the wilds of this country.  I realize now that the words I’ve used in describing my 3-year experience (of road tripping, tent camping, hiking, photographing natural beauty, and finding my sacred center) haven’t accurately represented the depth of primal connection I felt or the new perspective of life I gained.

Colorado’s Rocky Mountains

In his book, Stillman describes the wild, raw places he visits with great beauty and soulfulness.  He has explored some of the same mountain ranges, canyons, and deserts I have, and has met with many of the same themes.  He is asked Don’t you get lonely out there all by yourself?, a question I was asked often.  He responds by saying that initially, yes, loneliness can strike, but by paying attention to the beauty of the present, it doesn’t linger.  I can remember feeling an almost overwhelming sense of loneliness in my tent one night in southern Colorado.  But daybreak revealed a cool mountain morning, incredibly blue sky, and abundant wildflowers & butterflies on the hiking trail, replacing that sad feeling; my bonding with Nature had begun.

Arches National Park, Utah

Stillman suggests that being alone in Nature is a time to reboot . . . a time for gratitude and healing, both spiritual and physical . . . a chance to remember the light in us is the same light in all of creation: rocks, streams, and a lizard’s eyes.  This light is the source of pure love.  The light of being.  The light of truth.  In the end there is no separateness.  No lines drawn between you, me, rock and tree.

You will be cleansed, you will be renewed, and given a new perspective.  A fresh start.  Born again into the world.  Wilderness can do all that!  ~ Scott Stillman

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

If you must bring a companion (on your wilderness visit), . . . agree that you are going on a sacred journey, he recommends.  Try not to bring along your everyday concerns.  Limit talking to things of the present.

To deal with the ever-pervasive noise around us, the author writes we develop selective hearing, narrow our attention spans, or tune out altogether with our devices.  But this tuning out blocks the good stuff as well.  We walk around with a longing – but for what?  We have everything we think we need, yet still feel unfulfilled.

Sequoia National Park in California

Then one day we experience a moment of clarity . . . perhaps in Hawaii, the Grand Canyon, the Rocky Mountains.  Recognizing the beauty all around, we see through the eyes of God and remember that everything is God.  If we’re lucky, we’ll take this back into our daily lives as we leave the wilds behind.

We create our own world.  Focus on beauty and beauty you find.  Focus on darkness and darkness prevails.  Beauty guides through the heart.  Darkness through the mind.  ~Scott Stillman

On the road to Taos, New Mexico

I wholeheartedly suggest you check out Scott Stillman’s Wilderness: The Gateway to the Soul.  More than that, I urge you to take time enough in Nature to discover your personal primal connection.  You may find, like I did, that it completely changes your perspective of life.

Wild Blessings,

Lisa

The content of this article is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified health care professional before acting on any information presented herein. Any statements about the possible health benefits of any subject discussed have not been evaluated by medical professionals or the Food & Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness.

51 thoughts on “The Wilderness Connection”

  8. Lisa, it’s so good to see your lovely photos again. You and Stillman seem to be very aligned in your soul experiences in the wilderness. Thank you for sharing this with us. ❤️

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  9. I can get a taste of this in my own backyard. Just sitting still, watching the birds and squirrels find food and how they interact. Although I have visited Yellowstone and the Tetons, the artwork of our Creator is visible close to home too. There is much peace to be found in quietly contemplating the variety and beauty of life.
    Thank you for the photo tour and thoughtful words.

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  10. Your photographs are absolutely awesome! God has created so much wonder in creation…if only we take the time to see clearly the beauty around us. We must be fully present, fully aware. If we lose that focus, we lose so much.

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  13. Nature is a time to reboot . . . a time for gratitude and healing, both spiritual and physical . . . a chance to remember the light in us is the same light in all of creation: rocks, streams. This light is the source of pure love.  The light of being.  The light of truth. 

    I love nature and believe be Healing all round. All the Best on your Journeys 🙂

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  14. Dear Lisa, I’ve followed your posts for some time now & always enjoyed reading them but here in this one there is a new or fresh energy which is exciting. I recognise what you & Scott Stillman are writing about & I long for the centering feelings that true wilderness must bring. Of course, even here on these small islands there are places where that “primal connection” can be found, sometimes though, reaching the top of our highest mountain (a mere 2800 ft) one is likely to meet a neighbour from a few doors down! Special photos, Lisa! 🤗🍀🙋‍♂️

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  19. Sounds like an interesting read Lisa. I have the pleasure of experiencing nature with my physical hobby and being that the nature of that activity is you have a lot of time with just yourself and nature, I can relate to the positive impact that has on our physical being – I had to chuckle at “a time for gratitude and healing, both spiritual and physical” as I am usually experiencing the flip side to the physical healing as my body gets pummeled hahaha. Thanks for the read suggestion. I just finished Do Hard Things by Steven Magness. That book brought a lot of clarity to me.

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  23. This is a beautiful post, Lisa.  Being in nature is a true joy and truly can bring us closer to source and ourselves. Your journey sounds like a truly meaningful experience.

    The book sounds lovely, as well.

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  24. Taking the time – nay, *making* the time – to experience and appreciate the big and little things around us which are ‘outside the lines’ of our devices and walls of the places we inhabit is one of the most important things we can do each day. Sometimes we need to make the time for this to be more than just a few hours at a time, to make it a few days or a few weeks where we completely lose the concept of who we think we are when connected through those devices. At those times we give ourselves a better chance of discovering the real person we are!

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  25. This is such a wonderful post! When we travel, we mostly stick to places where we can bask in natural beauty, as I find that the natural environment fosters mindfulness and appreciation for the present moment, while also providing a chance to learn about history and culture. I also find that the grandeur of national parks and wilderness in general can provide perspective, and perhaps all those big things you’ve been worrying about will become smaller. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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