Maricopa County Parks and Recreation: Silent Walking – A Beginner’s Guide to Connecting with Nature

Somewhat more intense than your average meditation class, join Ranger Shaun for some basic mindfulness exercises and a hike designed to help remind us how to enjoy being together in “comfortable silence,” enjoying and accepting each other’s presence without expecting or feeling obligated to fill that silence. We’ll talk about some fundamental mindfulness concepts, introduce some basics of mediation, and discuss some strategies for helping to (re)build a connection to nature, ourselves, and each other that many of us seem to be searching for these days. After a brief intro, we’ll hike the beautiful Yavapai Trail to a scenic overlook of the lake. Along the way, we’ll pause in our contemplative walk to discuss how we’re doing, introduce new techniques, or build upon previous conversations. At the top of the trail, we’ll take a break to take in the scenery and apply some of our discussion to the fullest. We’ll use the hike back to discuss, decompress, and recalibrate for the real world. The trail is 3.0-mile round trip and is considered moderately difficult due to terrain and elevation for the last third or so. Please bring water for drinking, a snack is recommended, and whatever hiking apparel you need to walk comfortable on the terrain. A pillow, blanket, or cushion that is easily carried is usually a good idea as many people like to sit for the “pause” and “pause and discuss” parts of the program. Restrooms and water are available at the trailhead, NO pets please.

MEETING LOCATION: Cottonwood Day use area

Limit 10 participants. To register, please email Ranger Shaun at shaun.barnett@maricopa.gov with your name, phone number and number of people attending. If you find you cannot attend a program after you have registered, please email back ASAP so those on the waiting list may be contacted. Registration for this program will close on 03/31/24.