Mindful Walking Exercise

Mindful Walking Exercise

Begin your walking meditation by standing upright and still, closing your eyes and focusing your attention on the very tips of your toes.

Slowly move your focus up through your body, paying attention to how each part of your body feels as you do so.

Once your focus has reached the top of your head, bring this focus back down towards your lungs and concentrate on breathing deeply in and out for a few moments. As you do so, allow your knees to bend ever so slightly and gently move your hips to awaken your body.

Deepen your breath and open your eyes as you now begin to walk slower than you normally would at a walking pace. Try to maintain the bend in your knees and avoid straightening your legs entirely, or locking your knees.

Stick to a heel-to-toe rhythm with each step that you take and be aware of the connection you are making with the earth every time your feet touch the ground.

It is not necessary to walk in a straight line, or in any kind of pre-determined route. Let your feet take you where they want to go and try to always keep your gaze focused a few feet in front of you so that you are aware of your surroundings.

You may find as you are doing this walking meditation exercise that your thoughts wander and that you lose your focus. If this happens then first take a moment to pause and consider why this has happened and acknowledge your feelings before returning to your walking.

Anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes is a beneficial amount of time to engage in walking meditation.

Once you have decided that your walking time has come to an end, allow your steps to come to a natural stop, close your eyes and return your focus to breathing deeply, as you did at the beginning.

Repeat this exercise daily for long-term stress relief and an improved sense of well-being.