You probably already know about the benefits of meditation. Reduced stress, better sleep. A clear mind.
What you might not know is that it can actually enhance your walking workout.
Often when we walk, we fall into autopilot and are oblivious to our surroundings and what’s happening within. By bringing meditative mindfulness to our activities it helps us wake up and pay attention.
Essentially, exercising mindfully can help you notice things you wouldn’t otherwise. Sounds and smells are sharper, colors are brighter. You tune into your body in a whole new way.
Plus, it really helps you zero in on the mind-body connection. When you walk and your mind and body are synchronized, you are more aware of how your body feels.
If you’re talking on the phone, as an example, while walking, you are less able to deeply tune into sensory awareness, and therefore, less cognizant of your body, mind and spirit.
While a moving meditation can be done during any type of cardio workout, walking is a great place to start because you can move slowly. This offers you a chance to really notice your environment and tune into sensation.
The idea is to remain open and aware of your surroundings from moment to moment. It’s a lovely practice to tune in to the exquisite, intricate beauty of nature: observing the colors, movements, textures, shapes and patterns.
Additionally, it’s a lot easier to learn moving meditation when you’re doing something that comes naturally and easily.
There’s no one way to turn your walk into a meditation, but the key is to purposefully hone in on various aspects of your walk...your body, your surroundings, the sensations you’re feeling and mindfully explore them.
Similarly, there’s no specific amount of time you should have as a walking meditation goal, but starting with five minutes out of your normal walking time, and then working your way up is a good habit-building practice.
Here are some ideas to try:
* TUNE INTO YOUR BODY
Bring awareness to each step you take. Feel fully through the toes, feet and legs as you lift them, move them through the air and place them on the ground. You’ll probably be surprised to notice how many parts are involved in taking just one step. The slower you walk, the more sensations you’ll likely notice.
* FEEL YOUR ENVIRONMENT
Once you’ve spent some time focusing on body sensations, expand your attention to other tactile sensations such as the temperature of the air, the hardness or softness of the ground and how the sun feels as it beats down on your skin.
* FOCUS ON YOUR BREATH
Begin focusing on your breathing. Count your inhales and exhales to the count of four. Work your way up to as high of a count as you can manage without forcing too much breath. Then, work your way back down.
* LISTEN TO YOUR SURROUNDINGS
Pay attention to the sounds that you hear around you. This can be fun because often we walk in places with interesting sounds, like cities or parks. There’s a lot going on, and it can be interesting to pay attention to that. As you pay attention to sounds, ask, what exactly are you hearing? What direction are sounds coming from? Are they near or far away? Are the sounds getting louder or softer? Just try to notice as many details as you can.
* TELL YOURSELF A STORY
Start to notice your surroundings and use a narration technique. Tell yourself what you are seeing and notice what kind of thoughts arise as you endure this practice. The thoughts that come up will tell you something about yourself.
And that’s meditative walking in a nutshell. Try it. I bet you’ll be surprised what comes up and how relaxed you feel afterwards... even inspired!
What do you think about this practice?
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