Many of you have expressed the challenges of finding time to sit quietly, and when you do it often ends up being distraction-filled and unhelpful.
So let's get up and move!
Even if you don't have time to walk outdoors or the weather is uncooperative, you will have to walk around your home, the office, or wherever else life may lead you.
Over the next several weeks I'll give you some simple suggestions on how to incorporate mindfulness into your movement:
Part One: Body Awareness
Part Two: Find the Beauty
Part Three: Noticing
Part Four (my favorite!): Grounding with Sound
When the series ends I will include a short journaling practice to help you uncover the parts of these practices worked well for you and which didn't.
Thanks for reading and let's get started!
Walking somewhere beautiful is always a plus
Part One: Body Awareness
Here are a list of possible ways to help you connect to your body as you move about your day. Try all of them or maybe the one or two that peak your interest. There is no right or wrong here. Whatever works for you is all you need to focus on.
1. With each step, feel your footfall from heel to toe. Repeat. Whenever your mind wanders (and it will!), return your attention to what it feels like for your feet to be connecting continuously with the earth. Think of these footsteps as the equivalent of watching your breath during meditation, always available waiting for your attention to return.
2. Take notice of all your body parts working in unison to keep you in motion. Focus in on one area for as long as you are able.
Some suggestions:
- the swinging of your arms
- the way your core connects the movement of your upper and lower body
- the feel of your leg muscles propelling you forward. Wherever you feel the most energy, put your focus there.
3. And last but not least, count your footsteps for as long as your attention allows. Start over whenever your mind wanders.
***Bonus suggestion*** Mindful walking can be difficult to sustain for long lengths of time, think about it as sprinkling in awareness here and there. Ways to do this are start your count over every time your reach ten, cut your goals into increments (i.e.- I will feel the swinging of my arms until I reach the next street/person/other marker), and/or divide your walk into noticeable segments and commit to doing your practice at these points (beginning, middle, & end).
Remember, these are practices and not something to be perfected. The goal is to be with your body in the present moment and that's it. Your mind will wander but maybe, over time you will start to notice this wandering more and come home to yourself with more ease.
Be well and walk on!
Please join me on social for inspiration and support on your path within...
Make sure to follow, like, share and comment. This is how we find the others!
Love this 💜 Since I am unable to walk alone anymore, I take this time to enjoy company and cherish time walking with that person (mainly hubby) or a friend, but we also take in what’s around us because it activates my mind & body.
Love it Diana! A flexible yet thoughtful action plan. It reminds me fondly of our Danish Spin Cycling instructor, Hans, in Afghanistan, who would tell our class, “be one with your bike yaaah, feel the pedaaahl meet your foot and belly and goooooah.”. I’m looking forward to hearing how others find those personal ways to gooooah under your guidance. Cheers!!!