"I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright." - Henry David Thoreau, Walking

“Walking" is the text from a lecture by Henry David Thoreau that he first delivered at the Concord Lyceum in April 23, 1851 and which was originally published in The Atlantic after his death in 1862.

It is seen as a transcendental essay that discusses the importance of nature to humanity and the fact that people can’t survive physically, mentally, or spiritually without nature; and yet, humanity seems to be spending more time further and further away from nature.

For Thoreau, walking could be seen as a spiritual and self-reflective act that occurs only when a person is removed from society. That such an act would allow a person to learn about who they truly were, as well as to re-discover other elements of oneself that might have been chipped away by society.

Enjoy this essay and see why Thoreau said that wildness is the preservation of the world.