Quotes from Belden C Lane

Attentiveness is hard to sustain, however. That's why backpacking remains an essential practice for me. It requires a consistent mindfulness and self-presence. It demands my keeping an eye on the trail, attending to variations in the terrain and weather patterns, noticing changes in my body as weariness rises or blisters start to form. It necessitates a reading of the entire landscape, learning to dance and flow with the interconnectedness of its details.

Backpacking as a spiritual discipline is both rewarding and unsettling. Few experiences in my life are as total—or as demanding.