Hiking for religious/spiritual reasons?

[chronicler]

I've heard heard that some sizable percentage of people (maybe 10%) of people who hike the AT do so for religious or spiritual reasons. This includes all kinds: Christian Missionaries, recovering alcoholics in search of a higher power, Buddhists, Hare Krishnas, Born Agains, Muslims, and various other pilgrims of all kinds. I find this fascinating, and inspiring.

What's your story? Are you hiking to become closer to God, or to nature? (Do you see a distinction there?) Are you hiking to 'find' yourself, or to overcome that kind of thinking? Or do you "hike just to hike," which is in itself a philosophical stance (a la Zen variety).

A little bit about me: I spent some time as Buddhist monk in Burma (for a brief time), and spent another 6 months in Bodh Gaya, India, learning walking meditation. The "long green tunnel" is, for me, an opporunity to more closely observe myself and my surroundings, to live in the everchanging present. In doing so, i hope to watch those constructed identities (self, other, nature) break down, if only in some small way. If there's a modicum of clarity and peace and balance out there in the woods, I want to find it. (Plus I have always loved the Appalachians, ever since I was nine or ten years old...)

How about you?

Note-Poll was developed by member Tom Alan and later added w/permission of OP-Alligator

[Father Dragon]

If there's a modicum of clarity and peace and balance out there in the woods, I want to find it.

How about you?

there's no zen in the mountains except for what you bring

[Marta]

Welcome to Whiteblaze, Chronicler!

To me, hiking is a gigantic Be Here Now experience.

[DDuhon]

I have always thought of hiking as in part a walking meditation, one foot in front of the other, getting into a groove. David

[fiddlehead]

I certainly hike to get closer to nature.

[Lone Wolf]

i hike for buffets

[Egads]

Never met anyone hiking for spiritual reasons. Everyone I know hikes for the sensory stimulation

[Summit]

I seek to be closer to God in all that I do, including hiking. I find myself naturally praising God more when appreciating His awesome creation while backpacking.

[aaroniguana]

I hike to get away from people who knock on my door asking for money for Jesus. Jesus doesn't need my money.

[Jay B.]

Just one word to add to Summit: AMEN!!!

[rafe]

i hike for buffets

Wouldn't it be easier to drive? Or ride a bike?

[Homer&Marje]

Atheist. Hike to get away from people. But, hike for whatever reasons you want. I feel closer to nature when I am in the woods. Because I am closer to nature.

[Homer&Marje]

Wouldn't it be easier to drive? Or ride a bike?

But you won't be as hungry.

[Gray Blazer]

A good buffet can be a religious experience.

[TOW]

When I first began to hike I was just running away from life and its problems. As I walked I realized there was something bigger. As I walked a little more I began to see me as I really am. And then I met Him........

[Gumbi]

I agree with Summit!

[bloodmountainman]

We live in a fast paced world that is full of artificial stimulation. We have lost a connection with the natural world with all of our techno toys and gadgets. Many of our young today view this artificiality as the real world.
I have always fought against this, and have constantly searched out a separate reality. I find it while hiking, camping, hunting, fishing,canoeing, stargazing, etc. To me Nature is real. Man cannot replicate Nature in any meaningful way. Something greater than man has provided this separate reality. Being close to and participating with the natural world brings one closer to this "Greatness".

[Christus Cowboy]

I seek to be closer to God in all that I do, including hiking. I find myself naturally praising God more when appreciating His awesome creation while backpacking.

I'm with Summit... for me there's a spiritual dimension to everything that I do and spending time in the backcountry allows me to sharpen my focus and reflect on my relationship with God. That said, I will repost an excerpt from an earlier post that I made related to this subject. In that post I said the following.....

I often wonder why I long to be out in the wilderness and backcountry for extended periods of time. I mean as a man, I love my wife and children and would miss them terribly if I was to remove myself from their company for a long time.....So why would I desire to engage in an activity that would result in loneliness in my life? A good question that I’m not sure I have a good answer for. I do think that part of it is the serenity that God brings to the soul of a man through the wilderness experience. I was reading in Isaiah 55:12-13 this morning where God tells us that He will allow the mountains and hills to break forth with shouts of joy and the trees of the field will clap their hands. I honestly believe that God sends us special "postcards" when we are out in the remote areas of His creation and we can experience Him in ways the normal societal environment will not allow. I remember climbing to the summit of Cloud Peak in the Big Horn Mountain range and looking at the vast mountain ranges and saying to myself that surely the finger of God has carved out these majestic mountains. So did the mountains shout for joy that day on Cloud Peak as the prophet Isaiah said? In many ways I’d say so... While my human relationships play a critical role in who I am, I am of the belief that my wilderness experiences help me view God in a way that brings serenity in my life and helps make my human relationships more meaningful. Even though the downfall mankind messed up a whole lot of things in this world, God was very generous in what He chose to leave for us to experience.

I don't know if that answers your question but it's probably the best example that I can give you off hand to try to explain the spiritual impact that such journeys have in my life......

[Red Hat]

Summit summed up my feelings completely. Aaroniguana, I'm sorry that you had that experience, I've personally never had anyone knock on my door to get money for Jesus. You are so right, He doesn't need your money. I can't imagine anyone doing that. But, I have given money to "missionaries" asking for donations for various stores. Only God knows if they are legitimate, but if they are, I support them.

[scope]

there's no zen in the mountains except for what you bring

Assuming "zen" is something personally defineable, then its definitely there in the mountains. I think Chronicler has it right, the mountains, the trail, etc. offer an opportunity for balance and clarity of thought. Lots of folks here talk about how it helps "clear their head" and its certainly a way to disconnect from the trappings of life in our "flat" world.

I'm not religious, but I do feel the spirit of God in them thar hills.