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Everyday Livingness
Exercise & Sport, Healthy Lifestyle 624 Comments on Why I Love Hills

Why I Love Hills

By Kim Weston · On August 29, 2017 ·Photography by Benkt van Haastrecht

Let me just start by saying I have never liked hills. I always dreaded the pain in my body, the struggle to reach the top, the exhaustion that soon followed. I never understood why people would choose to put their body through such pain… for what? To ‘conquer’ a hill? To feel like they had achieved something? To feel they could make their body do ‘incredible feats’? It all seemed such a push and drive, with a lot of pain, without much to truly gain at the end of it, except perhaps the initial high of achievement and an inflated sense of self to make up for a deep-seated lack of self-worth that is not being addressed. Climbing hills seemed to me to be clearly about ‘proving’ something.

Come many years later and I have moved to a road that has an incredibly steep, long hill. I do have the option to walk a flat road one way if I so choose.

I had been pre-warned by a neighbour to take it slow and start by only doing half to begin with. So one day I stood at the top of the hill with a view that takes your breath away, and taking the advice from my neighbour, I started my half way descent.

I knew from past hill experience that if I went into drive I would be exhausted and out of breath, so I made a conscious effort to stay with my body and feel each step. I took in the view with every breath and with every breath felt the expansion within as I opened up to feeling my connection with my environment, the world around and within me – the undeniable Oneness with God felt in every cell of my body.

In connection, one cannot help but feel every breath and part of the body as it moves.

I came to a halfway point I had noted at the beginning and turned around. Now this part would usually be my most dreaded part, but not today in this solid connection I had built with my every step on my descent. I started on my way back up, still very connected and expanded, feeling my every move. I noticed that if I stepped away from this connection and my mind would wander to some mental issue, the walk felt hard on my legs, I would lose the consistency of my step and it would become unpleasant. Bringing back the connection, my breath became steady, my body expanded, I felt the immensity that I am – not just the physical body that is walking – and I kept moving with ease.

I have now managed to walk the full length of this hill many times and every time my enjoyment increases.

I began to see how life is the same process as this hill. When we are connected within to the light of our Soul/God/the Universe, we are expanded. We feel the delicateness of our bodies; we take note of our movement. In fact, we love our movement for we are moving in tune with a far greater rhythm and not against it.

I often appreciate how this is what making love truly is. It is in our every move in synergy with the whole that we are a part of. When we are present with this movement nothing is hard, a push, or done in drive. Life becomes about movement, joy and making love. We don’t get tired, for it’s impossible to get tired from love; it’s the ultimate health pill that supports every inch of our being.

This hill has given me an incredible marker for how I can live my everyday if I make my everyday about consistency, connection and God, and wow – what an incredible life is on offer if one chooses to love hills!

By Kim Weston, NSW, a forever student of The Livingness

Further Reading:
Exercise – it doesn’t need to be hard work
Enjoying my Gentle Exercise Programme
Self-worth and self-development – does it work?

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Kim Weston

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624 Comments

  • Annelies van Haastrecht says: October 28, 2017 at 5:42 am

    Making love ‘ is in our every move in synergy with the whole that we are a part of. When we are present with this movement nothing is hard, a push, or done in drive. Life becomes about movement, joy and making love.’ Living the truth of who we innately are.

    Reply
  • Henrietta Chang says: October 28, 2017 at 4:41 am

    “In connection, one cannot help but feel every breath and part of the body as it moves.” – I love what you are sharing here Kim – the connection is key to everything! And this is a great reminder for me to keep fostering the connection and my relationship with myself and my body.

    Reply
  • Henrietta Chang says: October 28, 2017 at 4:37 am

    Love it Kim! The simplicity of the connection is what transfroms a labour or a chore into a divine activity!

    Reply
  • Susan Lee says: October 26, 2017 at 3:46 pm

    My early experiences with climbing hills was all about getting to the top and the feeling of being at one with everything around me – it offered me a sense of the grandness of life. I am now learning that life is not about achievement but how we are with ourselves in each moment – and then everything will flow and unfold from this connection, and as I do this I am finding I am an integral part of the grandness of life.

    Reply
  • Leigh Matson says: October 26, 2017 at 1:56 am

    Being with my body and how it moves makes life simple and joyfull. Reading this was a great reminder and confirming that it’s worth being aware of my body. Thank you Kim.

    Reply
  • Andrew Mooney says: October 24, 2017 at 4:15 pm

    I find that there are many obstacles in life and it is how I approach them and move through them that matters.

    Reply
  • Caroline Francis says: October 24, 2017 at 4:13 pm

    Walking whether it is up a hill or not I find is incredibly supportive to bring me back and feel the connection to myself and to multidimensionality. I find my rhythm which is in sync with the universe and then the question is ‘can I bring this connection and rhythm to every part of my life and if not can I clock immediately when and how I have dropped?’

    Reply
  • Jenny James says: October 24, 2017 at 6:48 am

    ‘In connection, one cannot help but feel every breath and part of the body as it moves.’ beautiful Kim – so lovely and empowering to feel.

    Reply
  • Ariana Ray says: October 20, 2017 at 4:44 pm

    I love this hill climbing experience ‘When we are present with this movement nothing is hard, a push, or done in drive. Life becomes about movement, joy and making love.” I feel this is true of all exercise – which can be done to love the body and not punish it.

    Reply
    • Andrew Mooney says: October 24, 2017 at 4:17 pm

      Yes I have discovered as well that there is more loving and gentle way of exercising that really supports my body and does not punish it or push it hard (which is how I used to exercise) and I can maintain a high level of fitness and strength and flexibility without the no pain no gain approach.

      Reply
  • Debra Douglas says: October 15, 2017 at 8:15 pm

    I have a relationship with stairs now that is very different. I used to see them as an effort, and if I forget something the thought of having to go up again to get it irritated me. Now I enjoy taking one step at a time and use it as an opportunity to connect to how I’m breathing and feel my leg muscles work.

    Reply
  • Samantha Davidson says: October 14, 2017 at 4:37 pm

    Moving with an awareness of being within and part of the all, allows us to feel connected with the all, we are particles not separate entities. Life is rich when we feel our connections.

    Reply
  • Jenny James says: October 13, 2017 at 6:22 am

    ‘if I make my everyday about consistency, connection and God, and wow – what an incredible life is on offer if one chooses to love hills!’ Thanks Kim – love this!

    Reply
  • Lucy Duffy says: October 7, 2017 at 7:25 pm

    In that connection you describe Kim there is so much space. This can be thought of as being empty but space is absolutely full of Love, of God. So when we feel that space within us which comes with our connection, we are in union with God.

    Reply
    • Henrietta Chang says: October 28, 2017 at 4:42 am

      So beautifully said Lucy! Thank you!

      Reply
  • Jenny James says: October 7, 2017 at 4:27 am

    ‘I began to see how life is the same process as this hill. When we are connected within to the light of our Soul/God/the Universe, we are expanded. We feel the delicateness of our bodies; we take note of our movement. In fact, we love our movement for we are moving in tune with a far greater rhythm and not against it.’ Very beautifully said Kim, feeling love and joy in the way we move in the world.

    Reply
  • jennym says: October 6, 2017 at 8:50 pm

    Everything is different when it is done in connection rather than pushing through or overriding what we have felt.

    Reply
  • Janet Williams says: October 4, 2017 at 6:44 pm

    This is super inspiring, Kim. How simple is it to bring the mind and the body together in the flow of a movement, rather than bringing in dread and struggle?

    Reply
    • Debra Douglas says: October 15, 2017 at 8:43 pm

      Yes, I agree Janet, the struggle comes from our mind when its not in union with the body.

      Reply
  • Francisco Clara says: October 1, 2017 at 5:27 am

    When we stop trying and surrender to the flow of life, we tap into a deep knowing within ourselves where everything is done in connection and honouring of our true nature.

    Reply
  • Julie Chung says: September 30, 2017 at 7:02 am

    Recently when I went for a walk, after only a few minutes of walking my lower legs started to ache and I realized that I was walking while in my head. When I realized this was an old pattern I stopped myself and walked feeling my feet and whole body. It was like my,legs were saying, no more moving in this energy.

    Reply
  • Kelly Zarb says: September 30, 2017 at 6:53 am

    I love how our daily awareness opens us up to the grandeur that our movements can offer and the learning we can grow and expand from constantly. Our movements tell us so much about our presence and connection to our bodies.

    Reply
  • Rachael Evans says: September 28, 2017 at 8:37 pm

    On the whole, our bodies are pretty exhausted and this is evident in the sky-high demand for sugar and caffeine. So why DO we push the body to a place where it needs something artificial to keep it going? Why are we so adverse to feel our sensitivity, our openness and love for people? Why would we prefer an exhausted, dense and pain-full body over and above a body that could deliver us joy, ultimate connection and love?

    Reply
    • Nicola Lessing says: October 19, 2017 at 7:16 pm

      I give in… why?

      Reply
  • HM says: September 27, 2017 at 5:12 pm

    Wow this really shows the shift in simply being present in the body and how supportive this is. Thank you for sharing your deepening relationship with hills and your body, and how you took the time to listen to all it was sharing with you. This can be applied to so many situations.

    Reply
  • Fiona Pierce says: September 27, 2017 at 6:20 am

    I find too that the way I’m thinking has a big impact on my stamina and the quality in my movements – if my head is somewhere else too much or I’m stressing or mulling something over excessively it’s like it actually weighs my physical body down and affects the way that I breathe.

    Reply
  • Willem Plandsoen says: September 26, 2017 at 4:26 am

    Sometimes we need something that will force us to stay connected with ourselves, like a hill, but it could also be a broken ankle, a disease or a severe storm while driving.

    Reply
  • Vanessa McHardy says: September 26, 2017 at 12:52 am

    Love your description of making love as being aligned to energy and the pulse of the universe – a resounding yes to that.

    Reply
  • Adele Leung says: September 25, 2017 at 11:17 am

    It is not about anything on the outside or what we do, it is whether what we do is from love.

    Reply
    • Rachael Evans says: September 28, 2017 at 8:44 pm

      It’s a great reminder Adele – to make life about how we do things and not what we do. When we focus on the ‘how’, we are bringing our awareness back to ourselves and not what is going on around us.

      Reply
  • Ray Karam says: September 25, 2017 at 6:08 am

    This goes out in how I look at things as well. If we are struggling with something then how are we around it. Like hills, how are you supporting yourself to walk up that hill long before you are standing at the bottom of it. Do you see the hill or life as a challenge you need to overcome or are you looking at things as always a building point? I don’t train to walk up hills but I regularly exercise and stretch my body to prepare for my day. If what I do changes in that day then the way I am with my body also moves. You don’t hold yourself to an age, a limit, a belief of what can be done, you listen to what you body is saying is needed next and you move with that. Being strong in your body doesn’t mean lifting heavy weights, running fast or being rigid, it’s a call for us to be truly present in our body no matter how large the hill is and always be aware of that feeling.

    Reply
  • jacqmcfadden04 says: September 25, 2017 at 2:39 am

    ‘We don’t get tired, for it’s impossible to get tired from love; it’s the ultimate health pill that supports every inch of our being’. Love is indeed the best medicine and all we have to do is turn on the tap within and let it out to flow into every area of our lives.

    Reply
  • Natallija says: September 24, 2017 at 6:12 pm

    Thank you for sharing just one of many markers in our connection to ourselves in the day. These markers no matter how big or small are great indicators of the level of vitality we are living. When we stop to register them, the pause moments do give us an opportunity to make more loving choices with our movements and words.

    Reply
  • Shirley-Ann Walters says: September 24, 2017 at 4:30 pm

    This is true both for walking hills and anything else in life for that matter, it ifs easier on our bodies if we stay present in our bodies and feel all the way. When struggling with a steep hill with my body aching, in the past I would probably have avoided being with my body and actually felt worse for it without clocking that. I love turning it around into presence these days.

    Reply
  • kev mchardy says: September 23, 2017 at 2:52 pm

    If we are not breathing our own breath and are not connected with ourselves, in what ever we do it is like going through life with a chain around our necks making everything more of a struggle than it needs to be.

    Reply
  • Karina Kaiser says: September 23, 2017 at 7:06 am

    And this – “When we are connected within to the light of our Soul/God/the Universe, we are expanded. We feel the delicateness of our bodies; we take note of our movement. In fact, we love our movement for we are moving in tune with a far greater rhythm and not against it.” – How gorgeous to be in the flow of this – something to practice every day for me as well and when things feel ‘tedious’ or not quite right, we can just stop, reconnect, use the breath and start over.

    Reply
  • Karina Kaiser says: September 23, 2017 at 7:02 am

    I so love this statement Kim – ‘In connection, one cannot help but feel every breath and part of the body as it moves.” It is very confirming and a reminder that we have a choice all of the time to move connectedly – or not.

    Reply
  • Deborah says: September 22, 2017 at 2:21 pm

    Living in connection with ourselves on a consistent basis is indeed very wise and lasting medicine.

    Reply
  • Fiona Cochran says: September 22, 2017 at 5:50 am

    I have a bit of a thing about staircases. I find flights of stairs challenging particularly when I’m tired and rather than switch off I like to be fully present with my body and feel what is there to be felt. Then when my body rests at the end of the day it feels like it says, thank you.

    Reply
  • Anna says: September 22, 2017 at 2:13 am

    This is a beautiful reminder Kim for everything in life that we feel is a challenge, to remain connected and very present allows us to feel the power in our movements that carry us through life with such love and care. I am now looking forward to my next walk that involves hills.

    Reply
  • Ingrid Ward says: September 21, 2017 at 5:35 pm

    When we move in disconnection to ourselves, with our head and body in separation, the only outcome is guaranteed to be a huge stress and strain on our whole body. But moving in unison with every part of our body we will instinctively know when we are pushing it too hard and so have the opportunity to give it the attention and care that it is asking for at that moment in time. Listening to our body is such a loving thing to do; it simply makes sense to do so.

    Reply
  • jacqmcfadden04 says: September 21, 2017 at 4:43 am

    There is no escaping love ( although we may try), it is in our every move, our every bone, love is all around us.

    Reply
  • Eva Rygg says: September 20, 2017 at 4:33 am

    ‘I often appreciate how this is what making love truly is. It is in our every move in synergy with the whole that we are a part of.’ – If everyone had a true understanding of what is here being said, it would offer an inspiration to apply it in our day to day living and by that reflect to all generations to come, how important it is for all of us to live in honour of who we truly are, a part of the whole.

    Reply
    • Monika Rietveld says: November 2, 2017 at 11:38 pm

      Beautiful reminder of what love making truly is and accepting and saying yes to the grandness of being part of such a stupendous whole, the universe.

      Reply
  • Andrew Mooney says: September 19, 2017 at 3:54 pm

    Love is the greatest medicine of all!

    Reply
    • Fiona Cochran says: September 22, 2017 at 5:51 am

      So true Andrew, it really is.

      Reply
  • Victoria Picone says: September 19, 2017 at 6:09 am

    Love the title, and love the awareness you bring to life Kim. When walking up a hill we are reminded of the connection and purpose of our every step and how this can be either in or out of rhythm with our bodies and all around us. Everything in life offers us such expansive reflections when we are paying attention.

    Reply
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