Walking as a grief practice
Why moving our bodies through the natural world helps move what is stuck in the heart.
Grief lives in the body. Long after our minds have agreed to keep going, our shoulders still carry, our chests still hold, our throats still tighten around the words we never got to say.
Walking, especially in nature, is one of the most ancient ways we have of letting grief move. Each step is a small permission. Each breath outside the four walls of our usual day is a small return to the world.
You do not need a trail or a destination. A loop around the block at dusk counts. Bare feet in the grass count. A slow walk to the mailbox, noticing the sky, counts.
Try this: the next time grief feels stuck, put on your shoes and walk for ten minutes without your phone. Let your feet ask the questions. Let the trees be witnesses.
— Janice
