Disclaimer – Do not go into the wilderness, there are beasties that will eat you, if Mother Nature does not take care of you first.

Welcome to the modern world. However, what if some of our forefathers had followed that advise?  If Moses, Jesus, Mohammad, Gautama Buddha, Black Elk, Dr. Mikao Usui or countless others had figured it was safer to stay around other people and not take the chance, where would the world be today? The epiphanies of countless spiritual teachers and guides have been realized in the embrace of Gaia.

The majority of westerners are disconnected from nature. It is something to be feared, conquered, or exploited. What a person truly needs, though, is a loving partnership with Nature. Spending time alone in the wilderness can have a payoff that dwarves any monetary gain.

There are two conditions that make the journey more impactful. First is the alone part. This means no two-legged friends or four-legged friends. Scientists have discovered that being alone has therapeutic advantages over being with other people. Nature heals and teaches with the tools at hand. The healing, if it is of an emotional nature, may be triggered by the sight of a new fawn lying at the foot of a redwood. You see the relationship between the new life there at the comforting feet of the old and it releases repressed trauma. Fido sees a toy or worse – snackies. You have compounded trauma now!

The second condition is the most profound. When you go out to be alone in the woods do it in a grateful sacred way. Take the time to give thanks to who ever it is that you give reverence to. Give thanks to the wilderness you are entering. Be prepared, wilderness will give you gifts. Some extremely subtle- the sound of a hummingbirds’ wings in your ear or the wind through the pines. Sometimes when the right circumstance comes about the gift is overt. If while eating lunch a bobcat sits on the rock overlooking the valley with you it’s pretty apparent.

Next time you need a little solace or guidance try being alone in the woods. You know, you really should at least tell someone what direction you are headed, Just in case you discover your bliss and can’t stop hugging the trees!