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few months ago, I had the honor of leading a mindful walking session for a group of people in the south of Northern Ireland in Armagh. We practiced walking in silence for half an hour, focusing on the present moment.
It may seem strange in today’s fast-paced world, where we often fill our lives with constant activity and are always connected to electronic devices, afraid to miss out on important information. But taking the time to be silent and present in nature can be incredibly valuable.
Mindful walking is a type of meditation practice that involves walking slowly and paying attention to your surroundings and feelings in the present moment. It’s an opportunity to move out of the mind and into the body, developing a sense of presence and awareness.
Here’s how we practiced mindful walking:
- We found a quiet and peaceful place to walk, such as a park or nature trail.
- We took a few deep breaths and set an intention for the walk, such as focusing on the present moment or relieving stress or tension.
- We began to walk at a slow and leisurely pace, paying attention to the feel of our feet touching the ground and the way our breath moved in and out of our bodies.
- As we walked, we paid attention to our surroundings, noticing the sights, sounds, and smells around us and trying not to dwell on thoughts or judgments about them. Whenever our thoughts wandered, we gently returned our attention to the present moment and our physical sensations.
- We ended the walk feeling peaceful and relaxed and grateful for the opportunity to practice mindfulness and be present at the moment.
Overall, mindful walking was a wonderful and relaxing experience. It was a chance to get out of our heads and into our bodies, developing a sense of presence and awareness. We highly recommend this practice to anyone looking for a little self-care and mindfulness in their daily lives.
And the result is simplicity. But it has a big impact. The pressure of the environment and the endless “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts” are relieved. We are still with people, but we learn to be more attentive to our surroundings, more focused.