6 Tips to Take a Mindful Walk
6 Tips to Take a Mindful Walk
Have you ever tried to take a mindful walk? Studies show that time in nature can be as essential to our wellbeing as the food we eat, sleeping, and movement. We evolved outside in nature, and in the sunlight, so it is no wonder that it invigorates us in a way we can’t quite describe.
Here are the 6 Tips to Taking a Mindful Walk:
Breathe
Focus on the ground beneath you
Focus on the five senses
Take a moment to pause
Switch off
Bring intention to your practice
I hadn’t prioritised taking my walks in a mindful way until a couple of years ago, which has been especially beneficial for me and deepened my meditation practice.
During stressful times like that which most of us currently face, in varying degrees, mindfulness and meditation can feel like the last thing we have any time for. However, this is when we need it the most.
Mindfully walking has become one of my favourite ways of moving my body and calming my mind. Here are some of the things I find helpful during mine:
Here are some alternatives to focus on if walking isn’t a safe or accessible option for you:
Try to apply these aspects to your day-to-day like daily chores and/or while you’re showering / bathing - which is when most of us go into deep thinking mode.
These tips can also be applied to your daily commute. Whether you take public transport or drive to work or run errands, try using these tips to be more present for it.
1. Breathe
I start by taking a few minutes at the start of my walk to take several deep (audible) breaths. In through the nose and out of the mouth.
Breathing is a great way to bring you back to the present moment and is incredibly beneficial at calming our minds.
2. Focus on the ground beneath you
Shift your attention to your feet as you walk. I like to feel the sensation of the ground beneath my feet as I walk, and I focus on that for another couple of minutes. If this isn’t available to you, notice how your body or your equipment/device moves over the ground beneath you.
3. Focus on the five senses
Throughout my walk, I intentionally move my attention between the five senses.
Sight. What do you notice around you? Take in the colours and shapes without judgement. Simply notice.
Hearing. Begin by noticing the sound closest to you. This might be your feet / equipment hitting the ground. Then, move to the furtherest sound. Notice those micro-moments of stillness, too and relish in them.
Smell. Breathe in deeply as you notice the smells around you.
Taste. Taste inside the mouth.
Touch. Touch the surfaces around you: the trees, their leaves, the ground. Notice the air and the clothing over your skin.
If you only have access to a few of these senses, move your focus along each of these and notice each of them independently before moving to another.
My five senses bring me back to the present moment. I'm usually in awe of nature and all that I am surrounded by.
The sounds of the birds. The smell after it has rained. The feeling of the leaves or the barks of the trees.
4. Take a moment to pause
So much in our lives can feel rushed. It's like we can't wait to get to the next thing. I like to take a moment to pause and slow down during my walking meditation. I usually pick a spot to either sit or stand still for at least two minutes (or longer if I can). I stop to notice and accept whatever I am sensing or feeling in that moment, and I breathe.
5. Switch off
In today's world, we are constantly bombarded with marketing messages and non-stop notifications. Taking the time to switch off, quite literally, and turn our phones to do not disturb for a short walk can feel so liberating. Those thirty minutes of calm do wonders for my mental clarity, and this is one of the reasons why.
6. Bring intention to your practice
Like with any meditation practice, it is most beneficial when you set an intention before you begin. It can be anything that resonates and feels needed at that moment.
On most days, my intention throughout my practice is to slow down and to be present with the experience. I have nowhere else to be, but exactly where I am at that moment.
Like with any meditation practice, the mind will always wander, simply bring it back and turn to your breath or the five senses and remember your intention for your practice.
