Walking with Awareness

Walking – that’s something that I enjoy to do. I think walking is more than about getting healthy or getting your 20mins of exercise, it’s about appreciating the things around you. I love walking in the rain only to find I get sick later lol but there is something about the rain that makes you come alive. I don’t think I will ever get tired of talking about the rain – it may seem the same but personally for every time I walk in the rain it’s a different feeling. I enjoy walking too when the moon is full – I love looking up at it while I walk and see how its beams illuminates the sky and then we can see the stars better cause lets face it with the street lights and what not we don’t get to see much of the stars. I enjoy walking too cause it helps me sort out my thoughts, work things out in my mind. I have noticed I feel more relaxed after a walk and this is not just about the mile walk but walks to the market, shops or whatever then again maybe I am thinking too much. Sometimes I think I do – my poor brain on overload….

Sometimes walking can bring a memory a lesson. I know when i walk and see a stone on my path id move it off the path or kick it away. My grandmother always said to do that so whoever else walks and dont see that stone wont trip over it now i have fun kicking stones around - to a safe spot of course.

Enough about my blabs on walking, here is a write up from dailyom.com which I like. It explains walking in a more spiritual sense and how we can make the most of it. J Happy walking …

Walking With Awareness
Mindful Walking

Many of us take the benefits of walking for granted. Each day we limit the steps we take by driving or sitting for long periods of time. But walking even a few blocks a day has unlimited benefits, not only for our health but for our spirit. As we walk, we connect with the earth.

Even when walking on concrete the earth is still beneath us, supporting us. Walking lets our body remember simpler times when life was less complicated. This helps us slow down to the speed of our body and take the time to integrate the natural flow of life into our cellular tissue. Instead of running from place to place or thinking about how much more we can fit into our day, walking allows us to exist in the moment.

Each step we take can lead us to becoming more mindful of ourselves and our feelings. Walking slows us down enough not only to pay attention to where we are in our body but also to our breath. Taking time to simply notice our breath while we walk, through the length of our inhales and exhales, and becoming attuned to the way in which we breathe is taking a step toward mindfulness. When we become more mindful, we gradually increase our awareness of the environment around us and start to recognize that the normal flow of our thoughts and feelings are not always related to where we are in the present moment. Gradually we realize that the connection we have with the earth and the ground beneath our feet is all that is. By walking and practicing breathing mindfully, we gain a sense of calm and tranquility. The problems and troubles of the day slowly fade away because we are in the "now."

The simplicity and ease of a walking practice allows us to create time, space, and an awareness of our surroundings and of the wonders that lie within. Taking a few moments to walk each day and become more aware of our breath will open the door for the beauty of the world around us to come in.