The stresses of everyday life can soon take their toll on, leaving you feeling physically and mentally exhausted. While many people hit the gym, try yoga or head to the pool to work out their stress, you don’t necessarily need to work hard to feel more relaxed.
Walking can actually help you de-stress and serve as a form of meditation. Not only will it get you out of the house or away from work, walking also helps you work through things and stretch your muscles out.
Similar to seated meditation, walking meditation allows you to focus your mind and your breathing. However, instead of shutting everything out, like you do with yoga or other forms of meditation, walking allows you to take a lot more in, meaning it’s a good idea to choose a calming route.
It’s also easier to get into a peaceful place if you find it hard to sit still and meditate. You’re able to take more notice of what is happening around you while also allowing your stress to melt away.
Do you think walking meditation could be the right choice for you? If so, here are a few tips to help you make the most of it:
Slow it down
You can’t really engage in walking meditation if you’re rushing to get somewhere, so make sure you have plenty of time and can just relax. Take it slow and don’t push yourself, as this will start making you feel a bit stressed.
A relaxed state of mind also won’t happen just like that, you need to ease into it and find your centre, so just let yourself settle and it will happen. Slower steps also allow you to focus on your body more, which is all part of the process.
Feel everything
Rather than just walking, take note of everything around you, as well as how your body moves. Use all of your five senses to focus on what you’re doing, where you are and what’s surrounding you. If you find that your thoughts start to drift a bit, refocus on your body and environment.
Don’t listen to music as this can easily distract and shut you off from your environment.
A quiet place
Rather than walking in a busy area or close to a road, find somewhere quieter for your walk. If you can surround yourself with nature, this is the best option as it will give you more to focus and you’ll find it easier to focus your mind.
Walking somewhere quiet will also help you feel further removed from the hustle and bustle of daily life, ensuring you can fully relax.
