“God has placed eternity in the fleshy, beating hearts of humans.” (Catherine Woodiwss, “Marginalia – Bodily Prayer,” Sojourners, June 2018, page 25)
Woodiwiss writes about her experience of spending time in the Grand Canyon far beyond any connection to the internet or to cell phones and data. Her writing articulates for me the reasons I enjoy hiking. Beyond the reach of cell phones and data, I find myself lost in the raw, hard, delicate, and beautiful “data” of the earth as it were.

The earth yields her wonder to my presence. She welcomes me to her bounty. This generous and gracious welcome humbles me and I walk easy as I enter the wonder of the wilderness. A calm comes over me, but only for a moment. A moment to breathe deeply in the fresh and open air, and then comes the rush. Greeted by a snake scurrying away from my, what must be to the snake, pounding footsteps, seeing a gargantuan spider crawl across my leg as I sit in the open meadow causes the heart to beat a bit quicker, but not as much as the snake!

The rare times of spotting a bear close enough to have an adrenalin surge certainly stimulates the body. The joy that comes from the iridescent blue bird flying across my path thrills the body and the soul. For a moment, I too take flight in the brilliance and beauty of this charming bird. The thunderstorm that seemingly makes up out of nowhere as I walk a ridge totally exposed to her playful light, sound, and water show drenches me more with fear and awe than water – a really good soaking.

The hoary marmots, chipmunks, chattering squirrels, the rare appearance of mountain goats and the almost always presence of the big horn mountain sheep all are a feast for the body and its senses. Butterflies, ravens, raptors, the crazy whiskey jack and so many other creatures of flight are awe inspiring.

Purple, blue, red, white, pink, green, orange, yellow, and so many more hues of the wildflowers are a delight to the eyes and their scent is the best of aromatic experiences (the smell of Alberta beef on the barbeque is a close second!).

Skies, clouds, stars, creeks, bubbling springs, glistening blue lakes, and waterfalls all contribute their laughter and playfulness to the body and the imagination.

Okay! All these experiences are “bodily prayer.” The body is fully engaged and at the end of the day it’s good too for the soul. I ‘m left with a deeper appreciation of the earth and its wonders each time I venture into the wilderness and return. Gratitude from the practise of walking this wild and wonderful earth reduces stress, makes me strong, and connects me to the “miracle” of being and living at one with the earth. I am baffled by the mystery and the comparative silliness of my crazy life when apart from earth’s grandeur. Consider these questions God once asked of Job (chapters 38 and 39):

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?”
“Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare it if you know…”
“Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the deer?”
“Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and spreads its wings toward the south?”

Oh how my fleshy heart beats with joy, delight, praise, and thanksgiving! I am thrilled to be a curious and prayerful wanderer upon this planet, our home. I hope you get out and about. Keep safe. Enjoy the summer!