I have just returned from a soul walk. Such activity is engaged not for its physical benefits but solely for the...uh...soul.

Now I have always been one who loved exercise and for as long as I can remember I have taken reasonably good care of my body but my evening constitutionals are experienced not for good physical health but for the honing of my spiritual well-being. Let me explain...

A soul walk is undertaken without any extra paraphernalia of any kind. Perhaps a nice walking hat but certainly sans "Walkman" or Lycra shorts or $120 walking shoes.

You should be able to begin a soul walk without a moment's hesitation...grab a jacket and be out the door. All those other accouterments are the very antithesis of what a soul walk is meant to be.

While engaged in soul walking, one should let one's mind simply relax.

Soul walks are not undertaken in order to solve life's problems, resolve difficult situations or decide future activities.

Soul walks are simply for walking.

If you are accustomed to timing your walks or using a pedometer then this kind of walking will be a new experience for you.

If you are one of those curious folk who has taken up the latest and strange fad of aerobic walking...soul walking may take some getting used to.

When I am out on a soul walk, all kinds of wonderful things happen. A porcupine ambles on. Squirrels stop by to say hello. The sun sets. Ducks fly by in slow motion. Wonderful things that remind me of why we live in these mountains. Indeed, why I live at all.

I am convinced that we need a little less regimen to our living and a lot more purposeless activity...like soul walking.

Back in the Midwest, soul walking is a top priority. Its only real competition comes from the folks who choose to just sit on their front porches and watch the soul walkers stroll by.

Now I grant you that the Midwest is not known for its aggressive attitudes and fast-lane lifestyles and that is precisely the point. They discovered the value of caring for other aspects of existence than merely the physical.

I know what you're thinking and I will grant that you do have a point.

Yes, the people from Iowa and environs do seem to be a bit overweight but that's because they need extra bulk to house those big healthy souls!

Which brings me to my final point and, I believe, greatest advantage to soul walking. It's strictly for fun.

If you become compulsive about it or develop a daily discipline that demands your allegiance then it's not soul walking anymore. It's something else and it may even be good for you but it is definitely not soul walking.

Soul walking is an exercise in nothingness. There is no purpose, no destination, no reward but the walk itself.

And that is enough.