AI: Animate Intelligence

I am back from my Buddhist Pilgrimage in Northern California. The pilgrims convened at our first destination, Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, on Friday and set off walking from there over the hills of West Marin on Saturday. It turned out to be a rigorous yet immeasurably nourishing journey — trekking through dense forests of redwoods and countless other species, past marvelous vistas, averaging 10 miles a day.

As we entered the forest, our unofficial naturalist and guide, Jim, offered us a prompt: log in to AI by touching a tree and tuning in. The “AI” he coined as “animate intelligence” — a delightful reminder that vast and ancient intelligence is already at work in these forests. We hiked in silence each morning with all our senses wide open, input streaming in from every direction: the varying textures of the ground underfoot, birdsong, the murmur of gentle streams and waterfalls, the charred trunks of trees beneath my palms, cool air brushing my skin. I felt cradled by nature, as if it were whispering, “I’ve got you.”

Each day held a ritual somewhere along our path to acknowledge the four elements — earth, water, fire, and air — as we made our way to the next destination. By the third day, we had hiked through Muir Woods and arrived at Green Gulch Farm and Zen Center, where we were welcomed by its peaceful surroundings and fellow Buddhist practitioners. On the fourth day, we reached San Francisco Zen Center, where the residents and practitioners received us warmly. We completed the pilgrimage on the fifth day, walking through the city and into the cathedral-like grove of redwoods at Stern Grove.

I’ll admit the journey was physically taxing — a few stubborn blisters on my toes being the most humbling proof. It took a full three days of resting with my feet up to recover once I was home. My biggest takeaway wasn’t a grand, transformative spiritual experience, though I did feel a profound connection to the natural world and a quiet recognition that I am simply a very small being within this magnificent interconnectedness. The greatest gift of all: I now have a whole new circle of dear friends with whom I shared not only this incredible outer journey, but our inner one — our Dharma practice.

I return home with a full heart and deep gratitude — for my Dharma practice, which continues to be my steady compass and the lens through which I experience and make sense of this extraordinary life. And I am reminded once again how fortunate I am to live where nature is not a destination but simply my backyard. The mountains, the trees, the open sky — they are my daily companions. This pilgrimage didn’t take me somewhere far from home so much as it brought me back to what I already know and love, more awake than before.