Outdoor Lifestyles

Image via Wikipedia

Camping seems like it could be strange activity for the modern person.  Our species spent who knows how many million years from being at Nature’s mercy to having complete mastery over it.  Countless generations of our ancestors would kill to live in a house with indoor plumbing, let alone a Game Boy.  So, isn’t it a bit disrespectful to take up camping as a hobby or obsession?

My answer is a resounding, “Not At All”

Although humans are incredibly fond of their creature comforts, they still need a reminder that they are only a part of the grand scheme of things.  Camping or living outdoors can help you reconnect to the rhythms of life. You are like a little kid who sees the world for the first time.  You are not distracted by as many bright shiny objects and recreational chemicals when you are camping as when you live in a house, because you’ll be too busy getting by and being wowed by Nature.

Life whirls about us so fast.  It can seem like we are being pulled a million directions simultaneously.  With activities like camping, you can take a deep breath and find some space to sort out the priorities in your life.  We all need what New Agers call “grounding”, where we know deep inside where we stand (both literally and metaphorically).

Take for example, “Pointing To The Moon”

When someone points to the moon, it can be easy to be distracted by the beautiful fingers of the pointing person.  But those pointing fingers want you too look at the moon, not at themselves.  Modern life is a lot like the fingers pointing at the moon.  We are so caught up in our careers, our hobbies, our materialism, our fears, our bills that we have forgotten there is a moon in the night sky.

Camping can help you see the moon again and not be distracted by any pretty perfumed fingers.  When you observe Nature for any length of time, you see its continuous rhythm.  This rhythm has gone on since eternity began and will go on for an eternity after you have died.  Instead of being daunted by Nature, we can find our place in the eternal dance of existence.

Camping can also help give you a sense of self-esteem you might not get anywhere else.  You really have no one to rely on but yourself (and your dog, if you are lucky) when you are camping.  You are the only one who can supply shelter, fire and other necessities.  It’s a feeling of independence and yet a connectedness to life, the universe and everything.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!