Mindful walking
Are you aware of the benefits of walking? Besides the apparent exercise, the benefits of walking should not be taken for granted. Walking meditation is a simple way to connect with your spirit and mother earth in a very grounded way. We limit our steps daily by driving or sitting for long periods. But walking even a few blocks a day has unlimited benefits – not only for our health but our spirit as well, for as we walk, we connect with the earth.
Even walking on concrete, the earth is still beneath us, supporting us. Walking lets our body remember simpler times when life was less complicated. Walking helps you slow down to your body’s speed and take the time to integrate the natural flow of energy into your cellular tissue. Instead of running from place to place or thinking about how much more we can fit into our day, walking allows us to exist at the moment.
Each step can make us more mindful of ourselves and our feelings.
Walking slows us down enough to pay attention to where we are in our body and our breath. Taking time to notice our breath while we walk, through the length of our inhales and exhales, and becoming attuned to how we breathe is taking a step towards mindfulness. When we become more mindful, we gradually increase our awareness of the environment around us and recognize that the normal flow of our thoughts and feelings is not always related to where we are in the present moment. We gradually realize that our connection with the earth and the ground beneath our feet is all that is. Walking and practicing breathing mindfully, we gain a sense of calm and tranquility — the problems and troubles of the day slowly fade because we are in the ‘now.
The simplicity and ease of a walking practice allow us to create time, space, and awareness of our surroundings and the wonders within. Taking a few moments to walk each day and become more aware of our breath will, in turn, opens the door to the beauty of the world around us, allowing us to feel grounded and routed.
