The fractal theory/coherence of mental and physical staten is an incredibly interesting line of thought.
And this is one of my favourite paragraphs I have read on substack:
There might not be any natural remedy in the world as protective as walking against the deadening impact of our sedentary, chair-bound, screen-mesmerized lives. Walking is the original form of scrolling. Yet it doesn’t lead us down online rabbit holes, but past real rabbit holes. It keeps us grounded, literally by keeping our feet on the ground. It keeps us softly fascinated by ever-changing scenery. Walking is calming, head-clearing, and social and even spiritual when we do it together. If walking were a food, it would be a celebrated superfood packed with nutrients that feed our mind, body, relationships, and contact with nature—and it would cost nothing.
-just brilliant Ruth! I keep a common place book of quotes - and this paragraph is going in it in its entirety.
Yes Hadden! That fractal comment was the bit that stood out to me too! I have pondered this in negative form- when I have been thinking about what makes nature-gazing so pleasing, I theorised it as an ABSENCE of the things that make city-dwelling such an assault on the senses: in nature there are no words, images, straight lines (except for the sea at the horizon); it's a rest from commerce-laden human-madeness. But of course nature has its own deeply pleasing complexity. I have noticed when drawing plants that they have the perfect level of complexity for my human mind to understand: complex enough to occupy my whole mind, yet not so complex that they are beyond comprehension. That's probably because we're co-evolved.
There is also a particular kind of ISNESS: the specific ways that life expresses itself at any given place and time, forms, colours, movement, harmony and surprise. Even walking the same walk over and over, it's never the same twice.
To be honest, a walking pace is often too fast for me: my deep-observational pace is a kind of treacly dawdle. Sometimes when I'm walking with others I feel like I'm being rushed through an art gallery, seeing art out of the corner of my eye then whisk, gone. That can feel like torture, which is why I prefer to wander alone.
These are the things I *know* and yet our culture of efficiency and convenience (a la the machine) make it so easy to forget.
I read this at the coffeeshop while my youngest did independent work beside me. We had plans to move to the library, about a quarter mile away, once it was time for math. Lately we’ve been driving — but this inspired an EASY “hey bud, we’re going to leave our car here and walk to the library today.”
Along the way we wandered through a piece of civil war history we’ve always seen from the road and never stopped to inspect. It was an absolutely delight, and I’m so thankful for this reminder (and challenge!!).
Thanks for sharing Kristine :) Yes, walking the routes that we usually drive brings along all sorts of surprises and discoveries that get missed when we zoom by them. Glad you took up the challenge :)
Walking while praying has been an enduring joy in my life. A friend once joked referring to it as a true "walkie talkie", walking whilst talking with God.
Thanks - you inspired me to get away from my desk, where I was sitting in frustration, and take a quick walk with my husband. Big improvement to the day.
Thank you Ruth and Peco. It is an honor to have my little contribution included in this post. Since I walk as a primary form of “getting around” I am definitely in on the Walking Rebellion! Thank you to all who plan to participate. Envisioning all of you out there walking actually makes me feel much less alone as a non-driving adult. There are so many benefits to walking, it’s true. I applaud all of you who will be walking this month!
Walking has changed my life over the years. I am realizing that I have a lot to share about what walking means in my life. I will plan to write posts and notes about walking as I participate in the Walking Rebellion!
Thank you for the encouragement to work walking back into my life. I miss it! During college, I at first got around by bike a lot, and very much enjoyed zooming across the grass, past slower pedestrians and drivers stuck in traffic. But after a while, I felt like I didn’t have enough thinking time, so I decided to walk places until I’d done enough thinking to figure out what kind of trees my friends and I would each be, if we were trees. This took quite a number of walking-journeys worth of thinking, and they were good journeys, thinking about friends, and trees, and a lot of other things. Later on, walking was my favorite way to get to know the new cities and towns where I was living and some of the people in them.
With a bad knee and hips, I will walk short distances. I’m aiming for 15-20 min. I will see how I do. I live in the city, and in my neighborhood we have dogs who often run loose, this often deters me, but I’m determined.
Fun little example of a problem solved by walking: My toddler has been resisting her nap and all my usual tricks haven’t been working. So, lately, I’ve been popping her in the backpack carrier (which is safe for her to fall asleep in because she rests on my back) and taking a walk for half an hour or so. Usually, by that time, she’s fallen asleep from the motion and the fresh air, and I can lay her down, feeling much calmer than I would if I’d been wrestling with her in the bedroom all that time.
Yes, great example! I used the same method to get my youngest son to sleep during his first few months. I would pack him in an Ergocarrier and saunter through the neighbourhood before bedtime; he would nod off and I could simply transfer him to bed when I came home. It was a perfect solution for both of us:)
I'm currently struggling with back-to-back foot injuries that have mostly kept me from walking for the last 3 months, so reading this post felt bittersweet. I had just walked my first full mile after recovering from the first injury and later that same day I incurred my second. But reading this did remind me of all the things I love (and miss) about walking. Once I'm better again, I am looking forward to starting slow and eventually putting more miles behind my feet again.
I loved this bit— Walking is the original form of scrolling. Yet it doesn’t lead us down online rabbit holes, but past real rabbit holes.
Brilliant! I walk all the time and have found it to be a sanity saver. We moved from a subdivision to our little downtown area almost 5 years ago, which has greatly improved our ability to walk all the time. We live on Lake Michigan and could anything be more glorious than being able to walk right alongside this amazing specimen? When I first started this demachining journey, probably the biggest hurdle I had was not listening to podcasts or music while walking. Boy, once you go a few times without it, you realize what you’ve been missing and I have never looked back. I’ve said this 1 million times, but I don’t know how people think, if they don’t give themselves quiet time like this to be with themselves and nature and move. Walking rebellion!
Thank you both. This helps affirm our decision to leave the city three years ago for a tiny Aragonese village, buy a house, demolish the swimming pool and plant a garden (ongoing!), and get a border collie who joyfully drags me from in front of my online work for long walks in the fields twice a day. Now half of each day is walking and gardening, and my work and health are the better for it.
I have made a few friends on my daily stroller walks with my young boys, and yes, have noticed so many little details not seen while driving through the neighborhood!! Our one friend has lovely flowers, the dark blue house on the corner, the welder in his garage-shoo every morning. So many lovely little life things missed on a drive.
I used to hike miles and mountains, but have shifted to suburban paved trails for now. When my boys are older, they will transition to their feet and we'll keep it moving. I wrote about walking for my postpartum depression for your submissions too!
This is wonderful. I’m an anxious wreck if I don’t get out for at least one walk (preferably two walks) a day. It’s been one of the most life-giving, sanity-saving, health-engendering practices I’ve embraced.
The fractal theory/coherence of mental and physical staten is an incredibly interesting line of thought.
And this is one of my favourite paragraphs I have read on substack:
There might not be any natural remedy in the world as protective as walking against the deadening impact of our sedentary, chair-bound, screen-mesmerized lives. Walking is the original form of scrolling. Yet it doesn’t lead us down online rabbit holes, but past real rabbit holes. It keeps us grounded, literally by keeping our feet on the ground. It keeps us softly fascinated by ever-changing scenery. Walking is calming, head-clearing, and social and even spiritual when we do it together. If walking were a food, it would be a celebrated superfood packed with nutrients that feed our mind, body, relationships, and contact with nature—and it would cost nothing.
-just brilliant Ruth! I keep a common place book of quotes - and this paragraph is going in it in its entirety.
Yes, I can verify that I wrote that paragraph -- and without the assistance of AI. :)
Yes, I loved coming across that theory and the idea of "pink noise".
That is actually Peco's paragraph - I'll let him know that it will get a place in your book of quotes :)
Excellent work Peco! I shall give it the proper attribution :)
Thank you!
Yes Hadden! That fractal comment was the bit that stood out to me too! I have pondered this in negative form- when I have been thinking about what makes nature-gazing so pleasing, I theorised it as an ABSENCE of the things that make city-dwelling such an assault on the senses: in nature there are no words, images, straight lines (except for the sea at the horizon); it's a rest from commerce-laden human-madeness. But of course nature has its own deeply pleasing complexity. I have noticed when drawing plants that they have the perfect level of complexity for my human mind to understand: complex enough to occupy my whole mind, yet not so complex that they are beyond comprehension. That's probably because we're co-evolved.
There is also a particular kind of ISNESS: the specific ways that life expresses itself at any given place and time, forms, colours, movement, harmony and surprise. Even walking the same walk over and over, it's never the same twice.
To be honest, a walking pace is often too fast for me: my deep-observational pace is a kind of treacly dawdle. Sometimes when I'm walking with others I feel like I'm being rushed through an art gallery, seeing art out of the corner of my eye then whisk, gone. That can feel like torture, which is why I prefer to wander alone.
These are the things I *know* and yet our culture of efficiency and convenience (a la the machine) make it so easy to forget.
I read this at the coffeeshop while my youngest did independent work beside me. We had plans to move to the library, about a quarter mile away, once it was time for math. Lately we’ve been driving — but this inspired an EASY “hey bud, we’re going to leave our car here and walk to the library today.”
Along the way we wandered through a piece of civil war history we’ve always seen from the road and never stopped to inspect. It was an absolutely delight, and I’m so thankful for this reminder (and challenge!!).
Thanks for sharing Kristine :) Yes, walking the routes that we usually drive brings along all sorts of surprises and discoveries that get missed when we zoom by them. Glad you took up the challenge :)
Walking while praying has been an enduring joy in my life. A friend once joked referring to it as a true "walkie talkie", walking whilst talking with God.
Thanks - you inspired me to get away from my desk, where I was sitting in frustration, and take a quick walk with my husband. Big improvement to the day.
Wonderful! Glad it improved your day :)
Thank you Ruth and Peco. It is an honor to have my little contribution included in this post. Since I walk as a primary form of “getting around” I am definitely in on the Walking Rebellion! Thank you to all who plan to participate. Envisioning all of you out there walking actually makes me feel much less alone as a non-driving adult. There are so many benefits to walking, it’s true. I applaud all of you who will be walking this month!
Walking has changed my life over the years. I am realizing that I have a lot to share about what walking means in my life. I will plan to write posts and notes about walking as I participate in the Walking Rebellion!
Thank you for the encouragement to work walking back into my life. I miss it! During college, I at first got around by bike a lot, and very much enjoyed zooming across the grass, past slower pedestrians and drivers stuck in traffic. But after a while, I felt like I didn’t have enough thinking time, so I decided to walk places until I’d done enough thinking to figure out what kind of trees my friends and I would each be, if we were trees. This took quite a number of walking-journeys worth of thinking, and they were good journeys, thinking about friends, and trees, and a lot of other things. Later on, walking was my favorite way to get to know the new cities and towns where I was living and some of the people in them.
Yes, agreed, walking is the best way to get to know cities :) Peco and I recently wrote a piece about that as well "You are who you meet: a geography of common ground" https://schooloftheunconformed.substack.com/p/you-are-who-you-meet-a-geography
With a bad knee and hips, I will walk short distances. I’m aiming for 15-20 min. I will see how I do. I live in the city, and in my neighborhood we have dogs who often run loose, this often deters me, but I’m determined.
Kudos to you Annette! That is determination! Happy to have you walking along :)
Fun little example of a problem solved by walking: My toddler has been resisting her nap and all my usual tricks haven’t been working. So, lately, I’ve been popping her in the backpack carrier (which is safe for her to fall asleep in because she rests on my back) and taking a walk for half an hour or so. Usually, by that time, she’s fallen asleep from the motion and the fresh air, and I can lay her down, feeling much calmer than I would if I’d been wrestling with her in the bedroom all that time.
Yes, great example! I used the same method to get my youngest son to sleep during his first few months. I would pack him in an Ergocarrier and saunter through the neighbourhood before bedtime; he would nod off and I could simply transfer him to bed when I came home. It was a perfect solution for both of us:)
My babies always wake when I lay them down. But pack naps are still handy!
What a wonderful article, which deserves to be shared with my walk-loving friends and family. Many, many thanks.
Happy to hear you enjoyed it and thank you for sharing it with your fellow "walk-loving friends and family"!
100%. The most successful people I know walk - then walk some more - and keep walking - until inspiration strikes.
I'm currently struggling with back-to-back foot injuries that have mostly kept me from walking for the last 3 months, so reading this post felt bittersweet. I had just walked my first full mile after recovering from the first injury and later that same day I incurred my second. But reading this did remind me of all the things I love (and miss) about walking. Once I'm better again, I am looking forward to starting slow and eventually putting more miles behind my feet again.
Emmett, sorry to hear about your injuries and hope that you'll have a swift recovery!
I understand Emmett. I had a time when I had to rest from walking. It was so hard. But I appreciate walking so much more now!
I’m in! I walk every day but I will try it without my phone (but I love my audio books!) it will be a great experiment.
I loved this bit— Walking is the original form of scrolling. Yet it doesn’t lead us down online rabbit holes, but past real rabbit holes.
Brilliant! I walk all the time and have found it to be a sanity saver. We moved from a subdivision to our little downtown area almost 5 years ago, which has greatly improved our ability to walk all the time. We live on Lake Michigan and could anything be more glorious than being able to walk right alongside this amazing specimen? When I first started this demachining journey, probably the biggest hurdle I had was not listening to podcasts or music while walking. Boy, once you go a few times without it, you realize what you’ve been missing and I have never looked back. I’ve said this 1 million times, but I don’t know how people think, if they don’t give themselves quiet time like this to be with themselves and nature and move. Walking rebellion!
Thank you both. This helps affirm our decision to leave the city three years ago for a tiny Aragonese village, buy a house, demolish the swimming pool and plant a garden (ongoing!), and get a border collie who joyfully drags me from in front of my online work for long walks in the fields twice a day. Now half of each day is walking and gardening, and my work and health are the better for it.
Sounds like a most wonderful change!
I have made a few friends on my daily stroller walks with my young boys, and yes, have noticed so many little details not seen while driving through the neighborhood!! Our one friend has lovely flowers, the dark blue house on the corner, the welder in his garage-shoo every morning. So many lovely little life things missed on a drive.
I used to hike miles and mountains, but have shifted to suburban paved trails for now. When my boys are older, they will transition to their feet and we'll keep it moving. I wrote about walking for my postpartum depression for your submissions too!
Great article!
This is wonderful. I’m an anxious wreck if I don’t get out for at least one walk (preferably two walks) a day. It’s been one of the most life-giving, sanity-saving, health-engendering practices I’ve embraced.
Fully agree! You seem to have a lot in common with Dickens who would have "exploded" if he would not have been able to go for his daily walks.