Ecotherapy 365/242 : Footprints in the Sand

Описание: I hope you enjoy this video as much as I do. It was filmed during my first summer in Norway, on my first trip to an actual white sandy Arctic beach. I have linked another video from the same day below. I had such a great time here and what I was most surprised by, among MANY surprises that day, was to see the reindeer having at least as wonderful time as I was, running up and down, and around the pretty little island connected by this tidal beach. I was amazed and delighted, but this was probably the first event that linked kangaroos and reindeer in my mind. Although I have never seen kangaroos on the beach myself, I'm familiar with the fact that in some parts of Australia they do take themselves right down to the edge of the water and for some strange reason hop along the sand.

I was so happy to be able to walk on a sandy beach myself. I took my sandals off and I got a bit of shock that it wasn't at all like the sand I was used to, which is usually silica based. It was hard and gritty, sharp almost, though it was definitely white. When I sat down by the water's edge I realised I wasn't ready for Arctic swimming, although the water was a very inviting turquoise colour and relatively calm. But that sand was not a comfortable perch without a towel to cushion my bare legs. I found out later that the sand at this beach was made by parrot fish chewing coral. Um, what? How is this a thing in the Arctic!?

This was also the first time I saw reindeer footprints in the sand, which left me with a big smile. I had already come across reindeer footprints in the snow a few months earlier, and though I was sure I liked snowy footprints more than sandy ones, I loved seeing them anyway. I still don't know why exactly. It was on this day I also first had to witness a reindeer taking a pee-stop, which I did film...but would probably not want to post here on Youtube.

Life is definitely full of surprises. And nature never ceases to leave me amazed and smiling. That's why I chose John Muir's quote ‘But in every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks’ for this post. It expresses the idea that immersion in nature offers unexpected insights, peace, and abundance that go beyond what a person might initially set out to find.

John Muir was a renowned Scottish-American naturalist, author, and advocate for the preservation of wild places, particularly within the United States National Park System. This quotation is from his book, Steep Trails which is a collection of writings detailing his explorations and reflections on the natural world, specifically his observations and adventures from hiking trips in California, Utah, and Nevada.

The quote suggests that nature offers more than just exercise or a pleasant experience; it provides profound emotional, spiritual, and even intellectual enrichment that you might not consciously anticipate when you set out on your walk. Muir implies that nature offers a deeper, more fulfilling experience when we allow ourselves to be present and open to the surroundings, that by experiencing nature, one can feel more connected to the world, moving beyond the self and becoming part of a larger, harmonious whole.

This is my own approach whenever I'm out walking in nature, because I have learned by experience that you really just never know what can happen, or what you will see. I do have some idea of what to expect because I have also learned that it can be unsafe to go out completely clueless, but the attitude of remaining attentive, present and open to learning what nature wants to offer me on a day by day basis has allowed me to happen upon more than my fair share of beauty and wonder. This is what I want to share with you too.

Today's Ecotherapy tip is to 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲, 𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐣𝐨𝐲, 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬. You can bring home a heart overflowing with gratitude for the experience and your mind and body will grow strong if you make this your regular habit. Sure, you may not get the opportunity to stroll along a white sandy beach in the Arctic among happy reindeer, but you will doubtless see many things that are precious and particular to your own place in the world. Leave your own footprints in the sand, the snow, the dust, the mud. Enjoy...and let me know in the comments where and when nature has surprised you!

Smile to yourself

#ecotherapy #friluftsliv #naturetherapy #outdoors #wellbeing #reindeer #rein #summer #beach #sandyshore #surprise #nature #arctic #altafjord #isnestoften #finnmark #norway #twowildfeet
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Location : Isnestoften, Norway

Source Information :
https://vault.sierraclub.org/john_mui...

https://www.johnmuirtrust.org/resourc...

Music : Forgotten Shores (Rymdklang) - Epidemic Sound