My name is April Calish and I am one of the new volunteers at the SMART Lab! For this post, I’d like to introduce you to mindful walking meditation.
The SMART Lab focuses on how implementing mindfulness techniques can help reduce stress while increasing your wellness and overall health. Mindfulness can be incorporated into many different aspects of your life and one effective activity is mindful walking meditation breaks during the day.
Mindful walking is the act of using mindfulness techniques while on a walk so as to engage your body both physically and mentally. This walk is not about the destination but about the journey and should not be completed with a goal in mind. Mindful walking can be done anywhere but you should only ever take walks where you feel comfortable and safe in your
environment. As you walk, start slower than you would typically pace yourself and pay attention to the sensations in your body. How does the air feel? How does the ground beneath your feet feel? You should be paying attention to how your muscles are engaging with the rest of your
body on your walk. As you get more accustomed to listening to your body on your walk, shift your attention to the surrounding environment. Don’t look at your environment from a practical view but from a reflective and curious view. Pay attention to your breathing and try to stay in the moment to the best of your ability.
Mindful walking has many health benefits to your physical body as well as your mood. Walking is a recommended daily activity by the World Health Organization for its benefits to your cardiovascular health among other things. When combined with mindfulness, walking can improve your mood, reduce your stress, and reduce depression.
-April Calish
Here are two links if you would like to know more about mindful walking: