-
Mindfulness ~ One Step At A Time
All of us at some point will have been out for a “lovely walk” but what does that really mean?
Most likely it will have been the opportunity to spend time with friends, chatting and enjoying the sunshine and getting a breath of fresh air – how many of us voluntarily go for a walk in the wind and rain, unless we have a four-legged friend who insists on it?
Did you know that you can actually walk mindfully?
I was fortunate enough to get my Mindfulness training at the “feet” of Tibetan Buddhist monks. Whilst we were given many different techniques which encouraged us to be mindful as opposed to being mind-full, it was when we stepped outside that I really embraced mindfulness. How can we really get all those well documented benefits of mindfulness from our daily plod?
The practice of walking meditation helps develop mindfulness in everyday life. Buddhist author and teacher John Ciancosi explains it this way: “If you can learn to establish awareness during walking meditation—when you are physically moving with your eyes open—then it won’t be difficult to arouse that same wakeful quality during other activities…Your meditation will begin to permeate your entire life.” By supporting mindfulness, walking meditation, Ciancosi continues, “keeps your consciousness alive and alert to reality, thereby transforming ordinary life into a continuous practice of meditation, and transforming the mundane into the spiritual.” Ciancosi continues, “keeps your consciousness alive and alert to reality, thereby transforming ordinary life into a continuous practice of meditation, and transforming the mundane into the spiritual.”
(extract from http://eocinstitute.org/meditation/meditation-and-walking-benefits-of-mindful-walking/)
For me, this is probably my favourite and most beneficial way to practice being mindful.
As somebody who has a mind which is constantly on the go, in the early days of my attempts to walk mindfully, I would repeat my own mantra which was “It’s all about me, it’s all about now”. This afforded me a couple of benefits, firstly it allowed me to focus and stop my mind from wandering but probably more importantly, it reinforced that I deserved some “me” time. That I was taking that moment to just focus on me and my wellbeing.
Walking mindfully is great for stress, just blowing away the cobwebs and clearing the mind. If we can manage to walk slowly and purposefully, this helps to calm the body and focus the mind. Of course, it goes without saying that walking is great exercise but to walk mindfully gives us so much more.
As I mastered the art of mindful walking, I found that it was easy to implement into my daily life. I didn’t need any special equipment or have to take time out of a busy schedule. Whilst I favoured the park, I also found that “mindful pacing” was particularly useful in a work environment; calming my nerves before presenting in a class or a meeting.
So, what is the trick? How do you walk mindfully?
They key is to try and slow the walk down a little, be conscious each time your foot touches the floor. Try to stay present, notice the sounds and smells around you, the sensations hitting your skin, (yes walking in the wind and rain is beautiful when you do it mindfully) your emotions and feelings. Allow the thoughts to come, acknowledge them and then park them. Always bring yourself back to the present moment when your mind wanders…and it will, but recognizing that and returning to the now is all part of the process. The beauty of mindful walking is that you can do it anywhere, at any time – you just need to put one foot in front of the other!
“Walk as though you are kissing the earth with your feet”. Thich Nhat Hanh
