Transform Your Hiking Experience and Boost Self-Love with this Sacred Trash-Picking Practice

As someone who loves spending time in nature, I feel unhappy with the amount of trash littering hiking trails and other natural spaces.

Plastic bottles, food wrappers, and other debris can be unsightly and harm wildlife and damage delicate ecosystems.

If you love being surrounded by nature, I'm sure you share my sentiments about the amount of litter on hiking trails and other natural spaces. 

Seeing plastic bottles, food wrappers, and other debris harm wildlife and damage delicate ecosystems is disheartening. But, I have found a way to turn this situation around and make a positive impact.

Picking up trash on hiking trails has become a sacred practice for me, one that helps me care for the environment and practice somatic self-love.

A Sacred Practice

Over time, I have seen picking up trash on hiking trails as a sacred practice that allows me to care for the environment and practice somatic self-love. Here are a few reasons why:

1. It shifts my focus from self to service. When I'm out on the trail, it's easy to get caught up in my own thoughts and concerns. Picking up trash allows me to shift my focus to something bigger than myself and be of service to the earth and the community of hikers who use the trail.
2. It helps me connect with the natural world. Walking along the trail, I can tune into the sights, sounds, and smells of the natural world around me. Picking up trash allows me to deepen this connection and become more aware of humans' impact on the environment.
3. It cultivates a sense of present-moment awareness. Picking up trash requires me to slow down and pay attention to my surroundings.
4. It brings unconscious behavior into the light of consciousness. It's a powerful reminder to be aware of our behavior and strive to be more responsible and loving.
5. It creates a sense of accomplishment. It's a reminder that small actions can make a big difference and that we all have the power to be agents of positive change.

Picking up trash on hiking trails is a simple yet powerful practice that allows us to serve the earth, connect with the natural world, cultivate mindfulness, bring unconscious behavior into the light of consciousness, and create a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. I encourage you to try it on your next hike and see how it can become a sacred somatic self-love practice in your life!

Tips for Making Trash Pick-Up Sacred

Here are a few tips for making the practice of picking up trash on hiking trails part of your routine:

1. Start small: If you're new to the practice of picking up trash on hiking trails, start small by committing to picking up just one or two pieces of trash on each hike. Over time, you can increase the amount of trash you pick up and make it a more regular part of your hiking routine.
2. Bring a bag: Bring a reusable bag or container with you on your hike to collect the trash you find. This will make it easier to carry and dispose of the trash with you.
3. Lead by example: When you're out on the trail, pick up any trash you see and dispose of it properly. This sets a positive standard for other hikers and encourages them to do the same.
4. Make it a group activity: Encourage friends, family, or hiking groups to join you in picking up trash on hiking trails. Not only does this make the work more fun and social, but it can also be a great way to impact the environment as a community positively.
5. Share your story: Share your experiences and insights about picking up trash on hiking trails with others. Whether through social media, blog posts, or conversations with friends, sharing your story can inspire others to take action and positively impact the environment.

Remember, the most important thing is to approach picking up trash on hiking trails with a sense of openness, curiosity, and compassion. It's a simple yet powerful act of service that can make a big difference in the world around us.

Cricket looking out for trash on our hikes together.

So, How Does This Help Cultivate Somatic Self-Love?

You might be wondering how this practice translates into bringing the feeling of self-love alive in our bodies. Picking up trash on hiking trails can create a sense of self-love in a few different ways:

1. It cultivates a sense of connection: When we pick up trash on hiking trails, we connect with the natural world and being of service to the earth. This can create a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the beauty and wonder of the natural world, as well as a sense of pride in our ability to make a positive impact on the environment.
2. It promotes mindfulness and self-awareness: Picking up trash requires us to slow down and pay attention to our surroundings. It's a practice of mindfulness and presence that allows us to be fully engaged in the moment and appreciate the beauty of the natural world. This can help us become more self-aware and connected to our own bodies and emotions.
3. It creates a sense of accomplishment: When we finish a hike with a bag of trash in our hands, we feel a deep sense of accomplishment and pride in our ability to make a positive impact on the environment. This can boost our self-esteem and create a sense of self-love and self-respect.
4. It promotes a sense of community: Picking up trash on hiking trails can be a communal activity that brings people together in a common cause. This can create a sense of connection and belonging that promotes self-love and a sense of purpose.

Heal Your Nervous System and Ripple Out to All (Nature Included)

As we picking up trash on hiking trails, it can also be a healing practice for our nervous systems in a few ways:

1. It promotes movement and exercise: Picking up trash on hiking trails requires us to move our bodies and engage in physical activity. Exercise and movement have been shown to be effective in reducing stress and anxiety and promoting overall well-being.
2. It creates a sense of safety: When we pick up trash on hiking trails, we create a sense of safety and order. This can be especially important for individuals who have experienced trauma or feel a sense of anxiety or overwhelm in their daily lives.
3. It promotes mindfulness and relaxation: Picking up trash requires us to slow down and pay attention to our surroundings. This can create a sense of mindfulness and relaxation that can be healing for the nervous system.
4. It creates a sense of purpose and meaning: Picking up trash on hiking trails can be a meaningful and purposeful activity that promotes a sense of accomplishment and pride. This can be especially important for individuals who struggle with feelings of purposelessness or lack of meaning in their lives.

By connecting with the natural world and creating a sense of purpose and meaning, this practice can be a powerful way to nurture our bodies and minds. When we care for the environment, we also take care of ourselves and promote a sense of interconnectedness and well-being. 

As we educate others, set a positive example, make it easy and fun, partner with local organizations, and share success stories, we create a culture of environmental stewardship and inspire others to take action. Let's work together to create a cleaner, healthier, and more vibrant natural world for all to enjoy!