Morgan Pritchard- American Camino Chapter 6 Reflection

 Chapter 6 of American Camino is about how walking on the Appalachian Trail can be a spiritual experience, even if a hiker is not religious. Some people walk the trail for religious reasons, but not everyone because it is not associated with religion. The book describes flow, memory, language, persons and place, and poetic verses prosaic enactments when hiking the trail. It then dives deeper into flow and discusses how long-distance hiking “measures hiker capabilities, enveloping them in both novel situations and discovery”. I think hiking the AT can become a spiritual journey due to its mental and physical challenges. You have more access to solitude and reflection when you are alone in the wilderness for so long. You also start to recognize how your body feels and moves as you hike. Carrying all of your necessities on your back and having to walk for so long is an extremely difficult challenge. The book states that hikers must clarify goals to get into the flow. Hiking on the trail can also cause a change in perspective which can lead to a spiritual experience. For example, the book discusses how perceptions of beauty can change on the trail. Overall, this chapter was very interesting.

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