“Wonder, Walking and Worship” by Fleur Tucker: 7 Ways to Pray blog series

I really appreciate my new friend Fleur’s thoughts on wonder walking. I’ve never been to her amazing part of the world, and yes, I had to ask her what wattle is, but I too over the pandemic especially appreciated praying outside while noticing God’s amazing beauty. Could you get outside this weekend to do some wonder walking?

In July 2020 I “stumbled” onto Wonder Walking. I was interstate in hotel quarantine for fourteen days. My Dad was dying in the local country hospital, but I wasn’t allowed to see him due to the COVID 19 restrictions on interstate travellers. Not being one for formal prayers, and coming as it did when I was only allowed 1 hour outdoor exercise daily, Wonder Walking was a literal God-send.

The hotel where I was isolating was near a walking track that followed the old trainline into the town. Winding through vineyards and alongside open fields, the path was lined with spring blossom trees, wattle and olives. Animals grazed nearby and looked up as I passed. It was often quite cold, but I found great comfort in these walks as they allowed me to reflect on my grief, to pray for my Dad and to pour out my heart along with my tears to God. Sometimes I saw something really lovely like an unexpected vista as I rounded a corner or a love heart that a previous walker had made out of pebbles next to the track. When that happened, I stopped and took a photo on my phone. This made me really focus on the thing that had captured my imagination and created a greater sense of awe.

Wonder Walking is sometimes called Awe Walking.(1) It is the practice of walking slowly through nature while noticing our surroundings. This deep engagement with nature has been shown to improve mental health, increase gratitude and mindfulness.(2) I would add that it also increases our awareness of God, the creator of our natural surroundings and leads quite naturally into worship and prayer. The hymn How Great Thou Art (3) draws a clear line between these things in the lyrics, “O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds thy hands have made….Then sings my soul, my Saviour, God to Thee. How great thou art.”

You can Wonder Walk anywhere. Your location does not matter – even people living in the inner city can find wonder in street trees, plants pushing through the pavement and sleepy cats cuddled up on apartment block windowsills. You might have to look a bit more closely, but sources of wonder are everywhere. When we take the time to notice the small details of leaves or are impressed with the majesty of tall trees, we tend to feel relatively insignificant. This “small self” (4) gives us a new perspective. It puts God in a place of pre-eminence and lifts our spirits.

I found Wonder Walking so beneficial that I’ve continued the practice. It helps me to pray. Walking along while immersed in nature, my mind wanders towards matters of the heart. The things that I’m concerned about just bubble to the top. I can then easily lay them out before God, for His attention.

Like art, nature has the ability to capture us in a way that restores our soul. Psalm 23 places David outside in nature, by a stream with open green pastures and he finds to restorative. Nature accesses parts of us that are less cerebral and more spiritual. In my experience, Wonder Walking improved my prayer life as it strengthened my connection to God so that I could more easily lean into Him. I come home having benefitted from fresh air, exercise and renewed appreciation for the provision of God.

If you are looking for ways to reinvigorate your prayer life, I encourage you to consider Wonder Walking. Even if you don’t try it until you are away on holidays, you might start something that enriches your spiritual life so much, that you continue the practice when you return home.

Footnotes

1. https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/awe_walk
2. https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/awe-walk/
3. The lyrics to How Great Thou Art were written by Carl Boberg in 1886 after he was caught outdoors in a flash thunderstorm, then saw a rainbow when it ended. When he got home he opened his window, heard church bells ringing and put pen to paper in response to his experience, giving us this beloved hymn. https://www.staugustine.com/living/religion/2016-06-24/story-behind-song-how-great-thou-art
4. https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/09/418551/awe-walks-boost-emotional-well-being

Fleur lives in the very beautiful Northern Rivers region of Australia.  She authored the book Great Questions: a resource for carers in response to the need for local churches to train members in pastoral care.  Fleur is currently training to be a Counsellor.  She loves mentoring women, speaking at events and her new spiritual practice – Wonder Walking. [All photos courtesy of Fleur.]

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