By Tiffany Chen, Wellness Trainer
Meditation has been shown to help calm the body and mind. With this calmness, meditation can have profound benefits for your physical, mental, and physiological health. It can even affect your hormone production and lead to better sleep, attention, and digestion. If you are a fan of walking outdoors, consider adding this element of reflection to your routine. You may find the trees looking greener, the air smelling crisper and your mind feeling lighter.
Where to Begin,
As you stand on your feet, take a moment to simply breathe: In and Out. Feel your feet on the earth and imagine grounding down through the soles of your feet. Notice your stance and how your legs feel today. Is one leg more stable than the other? Longer? Try to avoid harsh judgement, simply observe where you are today- and let it be.
As you begin to walk, focus on the sensation of each limb moving and lengthening. Feel the pressure of the ground under each step. Notice how you are stepping and when does each part of your foot touch the earth - heel, arch and the ball of each foot.
As you walk with mindful awareness of the physical body, allow your sensations take in your external environment. Notice the texture of the ground beneath you, maybe even the soft breeze across your cheek. Observe the colors around you, which colors call to you? How does the air smell? What sounds do you hear?
Continue to walk with careful concentration of these elements within and around you. If you find these observances to be a disservice to your relaxation, return to simply being aware of your breathing: inhale and exhale.
Remember, this is your meditation. Take whatever serves you from this article and simply let go of what does not. Every day is different, be kind to whichever state of being you find yourself in. As you continue to practice your walking meditation, you can begin to transform grocery trips and even walking into work, as a time for self-care. Your practice is always waiting for you, whenever you reach for it.
If you would like to begin your yoga journey, but do not know where to start- fee free to contact our office to set up an initial wellness appointment with our certified yoga teacher today.