3 lessons after 1 day in the wilderness
No telephone, no time and no comfort for three weeks: in recent weeks I was introduced to the European Wilderness Education School, a wilderness school with training in the field of leadership and personal development. Indeed, in the middle of the wilderness.
It is 5:30 am and I am standing with ten strangers at the edge of a dark forest.
A deep voice: 'How do you feel about your essentials inside your backpack for a whole-day hike from 1-10?'
“A nine?” I say somewhat hesitantly.
'Who doesn't have 2 liters of water?'
“Mmm, I don't…”
“Who has no first aid kit?”
Damn, I could raise my hand again. 'Make sure your backpack is a full 10, then we will leave!'
Shit, I feel caught. So I wasn't prepared well enough, even though I had done more than I normally would. As a facilitator of a group in the wilderness, I don't want to take unnecessary risks, but check my equipment and that of the group? So no half measures. This won't happen to me again.
Going completely off the grid with ten strangers, deep into the forests and mountains of the Pyrenees. No comfort for three weeks, not even a nice capu. Why? Simple: I needed adventure and wanted to step out of my comfort zone. Facing the discomfort. Discovering what immersing yourself in nature does to your connection with yourself and with others. Another reason: time for myself. Time to reflect on how I live my life and what direction I want to go with Raak Expeditions. So off I went. The first day immediately brings three insights.
1. What a peace
One of the first things I realize during the expedition is how far my own life is from nature, from the basics. I live in an environment with hundreds, if not thousands, of choices every day, millions of stimuli that demand attention or tempt me to buy or consume. The pace of city life is fast and I like it, but I become aware of the intensity and impact on my health, my body and overall well-being. Here in nature, in the silence, the immense difference is immediately tangible. I feel more relaxation and more peace in my head.
2. Let go of your own frame of reference
After a beautiful walk deep in the forest, it is time for an exercise. Each group member is asked to take a certain position in relation to the other: the closer you stand to the other, the more connected you feel to that person. I was happy to see that many people came close to me. Two people kept a greater distance. Okay, so they don't like me, I reasoned. During a one-on-one conversation with one of them, the opposite turned out to be true: the woman felt the most connected to me of the entire group, but she had difficulty with connection and trust. I realized how quickly I had made assumptions based on my own frame of reference: I had interpreted 'not close' as 'not nice enough'.
3. Focus on the now
The final destination of our walk is a beautiful and ice-cold waterfall. After a steep climb up we can jump off the cliff. I'm not a faint hearted person, but I still feel my heart rate increasing. Can I jump far enough? Do I have enough strength in my legs? The thoughts keep coming and cause even more anxiety. So I decide to focus on my breathing and senses, connect with my body, feel the rocks under my toes and get myself out of my head and into the now. It works, I jump. I already knew it, but now I experienced it again: the brain is the biggest troublemaker.
Curious about how my journey went? In this blog I continue my story. Also curious about what nature does to you? Follow me on Instagram for upcoming expeditions.
