Earlier today L and I went hiking to the nearest natural park for an impromptu hike.
On the way up I tried to be present with my surroundings, observing trees, the ground, the river. I also noticed muscular tension after weeks without hiking and tried to deliberately relax my shoulders. Then, after a while, I remembered two previous hikes where I had powerful experiences because I deliberately practiced vipassana and I start doing the same now: observe sensations, remain equanimous, etc. As usual, at the beginning the mind was bored and craving dopamine. It reminded me of all the exciting list of things on my todo list for the day and tried, ineffectively, to make me go back.
Slowly, my dopamine-seeking mind calmed. And, by the time we reached a flatter part of the valley, I had already stopped three or four times to observe the beauty of the mountains, the trees, the river. I have been through this trail several times but when my attention is fully on my surroundings thoughts of “this is familiar and boring,” never arise. Everything looks unique and fascinating. Direct perception doesn’t seem to care about mental artifacts like familiarity.
We sat under a tree to rest and eat homemade hummus and palitos. We talked about our experience going up and reflected on our mind’s movements and our efforts to be mindful.
Then we started walking back.
The breeze was now against us, so it was easier to hear and feel the wind. There was barely anyone and I started to feel peace filling my mind. The more I focused on the wind, the more peace I felt. I rode the experience and successfully avoided reflecting on it. The repeated Yoga Sutras and Vipassana warnings that attachment to spiritual progress destroys them matches my experience.
At one point it clearly felt to me like I have felt several times when I’m on a mountain peak: mind perfectly quiet, consciousness merges with the sky, and there is nothing else. During the experience, I was also aware of distant chattering of my mind, but it felt like the noises were coming from far away and it was easy to keep my attention fixed on my surroundings and what felt like smooth, liquid divinity flowing through my brain. At first, I needed a mountain peak to induce this state, now only an open valley. Perhaps the location may eventually become irrelevant? As this thought arose, I dropped a few tears.
After a while, various factors combined and I left the elevated mental state, but I had the presence of mind to exit equanimously. Also a first, I can’t say I felt any hint of sadness that it was over. It felt like a rainbow that showed up and then left.
Then, without thinking, my attention went to my palms. I intuitively made them face the wind and for the next 10 minutes I hiked observing sensations all over my palms: pulsating sensations, colder air in some areas, warmer air in others, itchiness somewhere in the arms. It was peaceful and powerful, my hands felt like balls of energy.
How to recreate the conditions:
- practice vipassana at home
- hike in silence, observe sensations, monitor your attention and bring it back if you get distracted
- set as your goal things you can control, if you do that, you win, regardless of what you experience
- hike relaxedly, look for unnecessary tension and remove it
- talk as little as possible, and if you must talk, be mindful of the topic
- if something happens observe it with detachment and keep doing what you’ve been doing
The experience wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t been present when L said something that prompted going for a hike or if I had stuck to my 19 tasks plan for the day. But the experience wouldn’t have happened without the constant practice. You need discipline to build skills, and flexibility to use when the opportunity arises.