Hike-U
by Dale Guenter and Terry Lindberg
August 2022. A year of anticipation finally comes to life. We're heading out for our annual ritual — after COVID squeezed three years between our last adventure and this one. The mission: immerse ourselves in Jasper’s scenic wonder, sleep on the ground under the watch of stars, walk long and hard, carry all sustenance on our backs, keep a distance from bears, delight in our 40-year friendship; all the while, hearing Julie’s whisper: “Send me a haiku”.
The 17th century Japanese poet, Matsuo Basho wrote in Haiku form. He sometimes worked collaboratively with other poets. One poet would write the first line and then send it on to other poets to complete the next lines. We emulated his practice on the trail. On some stretch of an 8-hour hike, one of us might suddenly offer 5 syllables. And at some point (sometimes much later), the other would offer another 7 syllables, until we’d completed 3 lines. From this ritual, our Hike-U verses were born from a mystical mix of inner and outer experience.
Julie says hike-u!
Heavy burdens on our backs
Words that enlighten
Poetry, like hiking, has a certain rhythm to it, and the ability to strip away the superfluous. Haiku appears simple on the surface, but when considered, it contains elegance and profundity. Perhaps shouldering one’s burdens over uneven ground is similar.
“Feeling unsteady is not a sign of instability. It’s often the path to progress… Walking is controlled falling. Being in equilibrium breeds comfort. Feeling off balance leads to growth.” — Adam Grant, Author/ Psychologist
Unplug from the grid
To re-awaken wonder
We long to get lost
Live like this river
Accept turbulence and calm
Ice… tumbling… zen… still
Long ago life left
New life clings to what remains
No finality
Edge of discomfort
Or maybe just past the edge
Resist… embrace… bud
Backpacking and Haiku mirror life… smooth path, rough ground, burdened, unburdened, moments of “Is this the way?” and the relief of reaching one’s destination.
Dale Guenter
(on left) is a program mentor in the SoulGuiding program of Pacific Jubilee. He is currently inventing his post-retirement life, which involves offering spiritual accompaniment, experiencing nature in as many ways as possible, perfecting home-making skills, and organizing inspiration and wellness activities for faculty at McMaster University.
Read about Dale's spiritual accompaniment practice here.
Terry Lindberg
is a spiritual companion with Pacific Jubilee, who completed the SoulGuiding program in 2025. He is also a psychologist who plays in the mountains on foot, bike, or ski. Silence, poetry, and nature feed his soul.
Read about Terry's spiritual accompaniment practice here.
