My Silent Walk

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Cor Stehouwer, our guide, uses clear non-verbal communication to point out certain things to us: how wide the landscape is – listen to that woodpecker – smell the delicious air – try and taste this… Although I often walk in nature, his way of looking at it adds a different dimension. I am enjoying myself very much, feel happy and grateful.

The variety of landscape in this area called Kampina is huge; there are natural lakes, sand dunes, as well as a dark forest, a very old stream, and so on.

Trust and Surrender

Just how much my sensory perception has increased becomes clear when a distant humming sound appears. Agonizingly slowly is comes closer, yet the direction is untraceable. Anger rages through me. I let it be there. After a few moments is just disappears again. I follow the tiny plane above me with a smile. I do not have to get distracted, I can always choose how I react to something. Cor signals to take off my shoes and follow him. I hesitate. With my bare feet on the coarse grass, that takes some courage  hmmm… trust … surrender …

It turns out to be the best part of the hike.  Silently I stand up to my ankles in water. Here. NOW. We perform some Tai Chi movements, the energy rings in the air. Emotions come and go. In the distance a deer jumps out of the bushes. Wow ..

The world distorts

Deeply touched I walk on, slowly. It feels like my reality gets more and more distorted. I let myself fall behind to experience what is going on.

Slower, I want to move even slower…

When at the end of the walk Cor breaks the silence, it feels far too early. This evening could have lasted at least another three hours.

Nature’s Paint box

After saying our goodbyes we drive back to Tilburg. Mother Nature adds her comment to the eXperience by colouring the sky in the most beautiful shade of orange.

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