[Harumanbo Harucheonja] If You Walk While Thinking, You Too Will Soon Be a Philosopher

The ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi makes the world walk without walking himself. He acts like the wind. The one walking is the donkey he rides, not Laozi himself. He lets animals, the wind, and the universe do as they will. Within this absolute passivity, he discovers the real and ultimate power, the inner driving force of all things. The German philosopher Kant woke up every day at 4:45 a.m., completed his routine as precisely as a clock, and walked along a path. He passed through the castle, the center of power and administration, then the old town where the bourgeois lived, and finally the bustling dock where the cries of commoners echoed loudly. At last, he completely left the city and headed toward nature. It is still said that residents set their clocks by watching his walking. The philosopher Descartes said, "If you always follow the right path, even if you walk very slowly, you can go much further than someone who runs off the path."

The French philosopher and journalist Roger-Pol Droit, in his book Walking, the Philosopher’s Way of Thinking (published by Chaeksesang), examines the philosophies of 27 thinkers from East and West throughout history and, in the process, contemplates the mechanisms of walking and thinking. He confirms the similarities and connections between walking and our thought processes. The author advises, "If you want to strengthen the muscles of your thinking, walk."

The German philosopher and walking enthusiast Albert Kitzler also introduces various philosophical stories from East and West by connecting them with walking in his new book Philosopher’s Walking Lessons (published by Pureunsup). The author worked as a lawyer at a law firm in Freiburg but, at the age of 31 in 1986, embarked on a year-long walking journey in South America. There, he rekindled his passion for filmmaking and changed direction to pursue a 12-year career as a film producer. In 2000, a walking trip to Corsica led him to walk the path of philosophy. For him, the value of walking toward nature is more than just maintaining health or a form of ‘healing’ rest. By leisurely walking through nature, leaving behind the busy daily life, one can meet their true self and move toward happiness. He said, "While walking, our minds become clearer and more lucid. We come to know again who we are and what we want," adding, "Through walking, we tune our minds. The scattered mind in a busy life gathers again, and the inner self becomes clear."

Walking is often compared to life. The author also said, "Recall a time when you walked somewhere for a long time. There is no path that continues straight all the way. It sometimes winds in curves, and at certain points, you have to turn back," adding, "The path of life is the same. The road to oneself is never a straight line nor smooth." He also said, "Our happiness should not be swayed by whether external goals are achieved. Like leisurely strolling through nature, walking itself is the goal, not reaching the summit," and "We love the path to the summit more than reaching the summit itself, so instead of taking a cable car up the mountain, sometimes we walk the difficult path for hours."