MINDFUL WALKING TIPS + WALKING MEDITATION
Walking!! It’s something that no doubt many of us have been doing ALOT of over the past year. As we approach a new season it’s a great time to mix up your walks, notice the changes in nature and find gratitude in the small things we see. If you’re not someone who likes to sit still in meditation, walking meditations can also be an awesome way to bring a sense of peace and calm to the mind. This month Jenny has recorded our very own walking meditation - so pop your headphones in on your next walk and see how you feel listening along to her soothing tones.
Daily meditation doesn’t have to mean sitting, crossed legged chanting Om! Walking meditation is an active practice that requires you to be consciously aware and moving in the environment rather than sitting down with your eyes closed. It’s a simple form of meditation that can be particularly valuable for beginners or anyone who prefers a more active form of this practice. Mindful walking can lead to a unique set of benefits compared with its seated counterpart. The practice brings you closer to nature as well as your body.
Here are 5 top reasons to try mindful walking
It Connects You With the Environment
In mindful walking, all of our senses are actively engaged in the experience of walking. We can be deliberately mindful of the earth beneath our feet, the air flowing in and out of our lungs, the sights, sounds, smells, and even tastes that we experience as we walk. This practice helps you to feel more connected to the environment and cultivates awareness, in which we put all of our available attention on our surroundings rather than mindlessly walking from place to place.
It Provides a Sense of Perspective
Taking a walk outdoors can break you out of a mental fog (something I’ve found myself in many times this last year). This interruption may only be a change of scenery, which might be all you need to shift your awareness out of your conditioned mind and open you up to what else is around you and what really matters.
It Helps You Connect to the Present Moment
As you walk and become increasingly aware, the mind grows quieter. On occasion, that quiet becomes deeply profound. Your awareness goes beyond the walking, the breathing, and the passing scenery into the boundless field of pure awareness.
It Helps You Get to Know Your Body
Walking mindfully helps to establish a deeper connection between mind and body, helping you to embrace your body as it moves through space. The practice fosters an expanded awareness of how you carry yourself as you walk. Your posture, and balance all tell a unique one-of-a-kind story in the way you physically express yourself as you walk. These details can give you valuable insight into how you can move with greater ease and comfort.
5. It Slows You Down
Slowing down is a natural byproduct of moving mindfully and consciously. When you focus on the countless details involved in taking each step with care and awareness, your movements become more deliberate, graceful, and measured. There’s no need to race to get anywhere. This moment, this step, this breath is all there is, and you embrace it in all its richness.
Mindful walking is about taking your time, all the time you need. Remember, it isn’t about how fast you go, but how deeply you can feel. Try Jenny’s walking meditation below and give yourself a moment to just be. Let’s not miss all the beauty that surrounds us and remember the wander of this journey we call life.