Some People Advocate Walking

[DISCLAIMER]

As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman.

The authors quote ancient Stoic philosopher Seneca who stated, “We should take wandering outdoor walks, so that the mind might be nourished and refreshed by the open air and deep breathing” (page 193). Here, Seneca uses a recommendatory should statement.

This flexible advisement isn’t akin to a rigid form of absolutistic or conditional command whereby others unwaveringly should, must, or ought to do as the philosopher demands. To better illustrate this distinction, I ask that you forgive me a personal anecdote.

Years ago, I enjoyed taking walks while engaging in amateur photography. For instance, I sometimes visited Mount Bonnell (a prominent point alongside the Lake Austin portion of the Colorado River in Austin, Texas) and walked the irregular terrain.

Ascending steps of stone, I could smell fresh vegetation that aligned the path, as it basked in the sunlight and graced my nostrils with stimulating fragrances. Those walks provide me with fresh air, subjectively beautiful scenery, and an opportunity to connect with nature.

Still, it’s been years since I’ve recreated that experience. I recommendatorily should visit Mount Bonnell again. However, it’s not as though I absolutely must, or else life will be meaningless. Also, it’s not as if I either recreate the experience, or I should be ashamed of myself.

Simply stated, as Seneca helpfully recommended through his advocacy, I “should take wandering outdoor walks, so that the mind might be nourished and refreshed by the open air and deep breathing.” Regarding this flexible perspective, authors of The Daily Stoic state (page 193):

In a notoriously loud city like Rome, it was impossible to get much peace and quiet. The noises of wagons, the shouting of vendors, the hammering of a blacksmith—all filled the streets with piercing violence (to say nothing of the putrid smells of a city with poor sewage and sanitation). So philosophers went on a lot of walks—to get where they needed to go, to clear their heads, to get fresh air.

Back when I used to visit Mount Bonnell, the area in which I lived was relatively quiet. There was a lot of farmland still present. However, after East Austin was gentrified and many people were displaced to my area, it’s significantly louder than it used to be. Too bad!

Although I imagine my circumstance isn’t as challenging to my concentration as the situation in Rome, it can be somewhat burdensome to find peace of mind as things currently are in my area. Shit happens! About this and similar conditions, authors of The Daily Stoic state (page 193):

Throughout the ages, philosophers, writers, poets, and thinkers have found that walking offers an additional benefit—time and space for better work. As Nietzsche would later say: “It is only ideas gained from walking that have any worth.”

When considering the connection between walking and thinking, I’m reminded of a psychotherapeutic modality on which I’m trained though I’ve completely abandoned, because I doubt its claims. As the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) lore goes:

EMDR was invented by Francine Shapiro in 1987. In a workshop, Shapiro related how the idea of the therapy came to her while she was taking a walk in the woods, and discerned she had been able to cope better with disturbing thoughts when also experiencing saccadic eye movements.

Psychologist Gerald Rosen has expressed doubt about this description, saying that people are normally not aware of this type of eye movement.

Similar to Rosen, I remain skeptical of EMDR. Nevertheless, I find value in walking. As well, many people apparently enjoy an anecdotal benefit to improved thinking when walking. Issuing their own recommendatory advisements, authors of The Daily Stoic conclude (page 193):

Today, make sure you take a walk. And in the future, when you get stressed or overwhelmed, take a walk. When you have a tough problem to solve or a decision to make, take a walk. When you want to be creative, take a walk. When you need to get some air, take a walk.

When you have a phone call to make, take a walk. When you need some exercise, take a long walk. When you have a meeting or a friend over, take a walk together. Nourish yourself and your mind and solve your problems along the way.

Noteworthy, “advocate” is defined as one who defends or maintains a cause or proposal. While both “advocate” (verb) and “advocate for” (verb phrase) are often used, one advocates a cause (direct object) while advocating for something clarifies the support for which one advocates.

Come to think of it, I recommendatorily should take more walks. If it weren’t for a string of break-ins at Mount Bonnell, that location would be on my list of go-to places. All the same, there are plenty of areas worth visiting. Some people advocate walking, and I could use the exercise.

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

References:

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Holiday, R. and Hanselman, S. (2016). The daily stoic: 366 meditations on wisdom, perseverance, and the art of living. Penguin Random House LLC. Retrieved from https://www.pdfdrive.com/the-daily-stoic-366-meditations-on-wisdom-perseverance-and-the-art-of-living-d61378067.html

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