No matter the season, spending time in nature happily coincides with one of my favorite mindfulness practices: outdoor meditationor careful walking. Focusing attention while our body remains still poses a problem for many of us, from the easily excited to the anxious to the attention deficit, which is why contemplative movement—whether it’s ritual dance, sports, martial arts, or something else—exists in many cultures. In fact, the practice of mindful walking is often what people describe as their favorite practice after taking a mindfulness course, and what they are most likely to continue to practice. It’s the best reminder yet that mindfulness doesn’t have to be a still, solitary, indoor activity.
Walking is a movement we do every day, and like breathing, it’s usually something we do without thinking. Deliberately getting outside can be eye-opening, revealing new perspectives that are different from those we encounter indoors or inside our digital devices. Author Richard Louw, among others, writes about the “nature deficit” and how it affects our physical and emotional well-being, suggesting that even a little exposure to green spaces increases happiness and focus. The Japanese practice of “forest bathing” is from it benefits proven by research mind and body, was trending all over the world. Beyond trends, many of us have experienced the power of nature, be it mountains or beaches, forests or gardens, to calm our most turbulent emotions. The natural world is full of lessons to be learned and metaphors to be explored.
Deliberately getting outside can be eye-opening, revealing new perspectives that are different from those we encounter indoors or inside our digital devices.
Integrating mindfulness into movement has the added benefit of combining mental exercise with physical exercise. There are many studies shows that a light walk for 20 minutes can help with mild depression, anxiety and mind, not to mention our physical health. Getting out and taking care of your mental health is always important, especially when we have a busy day.
With that in mind, here are six ways to get the most out of your next outing.
How to start mindful walks outdoors
1. Basic Mindful Walking Meditation
Basic careful walking meditation is quite simple. All you have to do is notice how you walk as you walk, making your body sensations the anchor of your meditation. To break out of the autopilot we often find ourselves in, you can ask yourself, “How do I know where I’m going?” and then check with your senses.
It can also help draw attention to certain aspects of the gait. For example, you can bring attention to your body when you notice the feel of your feet on the ground or the movement of your muscles, especially when you encounter different surfaces below you. Pay attention not only to what your feet are doing, but also to your arms, torso, spine, and head as you walk. You may notice subtle changes in your heart rate, body temperature, or breathing rate before, during, and after you start moving. You can also focus on gently rocking the weight.
Sometimes in the sitting practice we use the breath as our anchor and focus on the point between inhaling and exhaling where there is a moment of stillness. Likewise, in the practice of mindful walking, we can notice points of stillness where the right step becomes a left step and the left step becomes a right step.
2. Adding words or phrases
One easy way to focus your attention is to add words or phrases to the steps. On the one hand, you can count in the rhythm of your steps. Whenever your mind wanders and you lose count, simply notice where your mind wandered and bring the count back to one again. The key is to do this without judging yourself and your wandering mind.
It can also help to have something to say along with the movements. You can, for example, say thank you and send gratitude or compassion for your legs and body as you move – practice from The Mindful Self-Compassion Program by Christopher Germer and Christine Neff.. Or you can silently or internally repeat reminder phrases about yourself.
You may like to repeat the following phrases suggested by mindfulness teacher Thich Nhat Hanh at each step:
I arrived, I’m home, here, now.
I once heard some more great phrases from a friend who said with every step:
There is nowhere to go. There is nothing to do. There is no one to be with.
Experiment with any or all of them on your next walk, or come up with your own phrases to ring for you next time.
3. Sensory walking
This adaptation for mindful walking meditation is simple and involves only truly attuning our five senses as we move through space. By digging into the moment with our senses, we can really enjoy the precious moments we have to be outside and moving and everything around us. Our feelings keep us in the present moment, while our thoughts drift into the past or the future.
- First, walk while keeping your eyes still and watch the view change as shapes and objects move in and out of view.
- Then focus only on the soles of your feet, being aware of the different sensations experienced there as the surface changes.
- Then focus on the sounds. Your own steps, as well as the sounds that change in the world around you as you move.
- Finally, focus on the smells and tastes in the air and how they change depending on where you are.
4. Body awareness walk
Another practice I’ve been doing recently is walking, where I focus on body parts, almost like body scan in motion.
- As you walk, begin by becoming aware of your feet by paying attention to the soles of your feet.
- After about twenty steps, or maybe one block or 5 minutes, shift your awareness to your ankles and lower legs.
- After a few minutes of your attention, simply stop at the knees.
- Then focus your attention on the sensation and movement of your hips.
- After a while, focus on the hips, switch your attention to the hands and arms, naturally falling or swinging to the sides.
- You can then move on to become aware of the sensations in your torso, including the inside of your body with your heart and lungs, perhaps seeing if they change.
- After a few moments of focusing on the torso, shift your focus to the neck and shoulders.
- Finally, pay attention to your head as it moves and moves up and down slightly with each step.
Continue to scan your body as you walk, noticing how the sensations change as you walk.
5. Grateful walk
Paying attention to the beauty of our surroundings is another way to intentionally bring attention to a mindful walk and actually shift our perception of the world from the “negative bias” or inherent pessimism ingrained in us to something positive and beautiful. Various experiments have shown that focusing on the beauty around us as we walk tends to have a lasting effect on our mood long after we rest, similar to how other gratitude and appreciation practices work.
This research is the inspiration for another mindful walking practice: we simply notice the beauty of the world around us as we walk. It could be a tree starting to bloom, a particularly beautiful ray of light, a house or car painted in your favorite color. During your walk, regularly notice one positive thing along the way—something beautiful, something funny, or maybe even an act of kindness. Write it down for yourself in your journal or share it with your family when you get back, or share it with others online.
You can also, if you follow the same route every day, focus on the changes you encounter. Notice how the seasons gradually change each day, how the sights, sensations, and even smells and sounds change. What new things do you find every day during your walk? How about a different time of day or weekend compared to weekdays?
6. Observational walk
You can also become aware of your own emotional experience of walking. Pay attention to your emotional reactions to everything (and everyone) around you, especially when people and things approach your personal space. It can cause a slight sense of self-consciousness as you pass others, or a slight pleasure as you step into the sunlight, followed by a slight dread as you approach a small hill.
The reverse way to explore our emotions noticing how our emotions affect our walk and observations, and vice versa. How does your emotional state change how you move, what you see, or how you react depending on whether you are happy or sad, calm or anxious, frustrated or relaxed?
You can even do it on purpose: shift gears and try to walk as if you’re afraid or worried. Then walk as if you are burdened with shame, or as if you are distracted. Try to go confidently after that and then go back to your rhythm and gait if you can still find it. Reflect on all of this, noticing where your normal walking pace takes you on the spectrum of moods and emotions.
You may have noticed that the way you walked affected the way you perceived your surroundings. If you walked with sadness, for example, you probably saw less because your eyes were downcast. Or maybe you noticed that when you walked with confidence, you actually felt more confident, which you probably did when you know about Amy Cuddy’s research and the science of “power poses”.
Through mindful walking, we can find time to deepen our intimacy with our homes and neighborhoods. Mindfulness is here and now, and the state of the world provides a great opportunity to explore and appreciate nature while social distancing continues. In addition, going outside provides an opportunity to take care of your mental health and outlook. If you need a few more ways to raise awareness of your route, I hope I’ve given you a few for the coming months.
Happy walking!
