
Episode #220
Walking Well with a Curious and Wandering Mind: Ken Wilson on Paths, Pilgrimages, Birdsongs, Planted Trees, Microdosing, and Transformation
In this episode, I have the pleasure of talking to author, poet, professor, and dedicated walker Ken Wilson about his book, Walking Well: Trails, Paths, Pilgrimages . We start with a simple question why walk? and follow it from his childhood rambles and daily commute through Regina’s Wascana Centre to the Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage that made walking an even bigger part of his life. Ken explains that walking can be meditative, but it can also give our thoughts room to wander, rehearse difficult conversations, and unlock new ideas. We compare what solo walks give us with the easy, free-flowing connection that can happen when we walk beside someone else. Along the way, we talk about pandemic walks, mindfulness in motion, birdsong, planted trees on the Prairies, and the way a familiar route can shape the mood and rhythm of an entire day. Our conversation also takes a more personal turn as he reflects on mental health, microdosing, and a powerful guided experience that left him feeling he had been given a second chance. We bring in Dickens, pilgrimage stories, and the idea that walking’s steady back-and-forth movement may help us process experience. By the end, Ken makes a warm and convincing case that when we step outside, pay attention, and keep moving, we may find more creativity, connection, and renewal than we expected.

