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Mindful ActivityWalking in Nature

Walking in Nature

The beauty of spending time in nature can sometimes feel obscured by distractions in the mind. Whether you’re on a challenging hike in the mountains or a gentle stroll in the countryside, let go of the thinking mind and reconnect with nature by trying this exercise and technique.

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So no matter where you're walking right now, no matter what speed you're walking at, just take a moment as you walk along, walking very naturally at a comfortable pace, just to acknowledge the space around you. Just take a moment to notice what you can see, what you can hear, what you can smell. Notice the temperature in the air, the sensation. Perhaps it might be the air against the skin or the clothes against the body. Just checking in with the different senses, starting to become aware of the space around you. As you continue to walk, starting to notice as well, the movement of the body. But not walking in a different way, continuing to walk in a in a natural way, at a comfortable pace. Just starting to notice how the different parts of the body move. Not just the lower half of the body, not just the legs and the feet, but also the chest, the stomach, the back, the arms, the hands. So noticing how the entire body moves as the body walks. Noticing any areas of tension, discomfort. Not changing anything, just acknowledging them. As you bring the attention a little more into the lower half of the body now, and settling into the rhythm of the legs moving backwards and forwards. So still aware of everything around you. Things you can see, hear, smell, touch. But just resting the attention in that rhythm, that movement of the legs. And as you become more aware of that movement in the legs, starting to notice the movement of the feet as well. And in particular, that sensation as the foot strikes the ground. One foot, followed by the next. Noticing the sensation as it presses down and lifts off. Presses down and lifts off. And that's going to be our focus of attention. That's going to be our anchor that helps maintain that feeling of being present, grounded. We're still aware of everything around us, still taking in everything around us. But just knowing that if we get distracted, perhaps by thinking in the mind or by something that we see. In that moment, if it feels unhelpful in some way, just gently letting go of the thinking, the distraction, coming back to that sensation, as you continue to walk along. In a natural way, and a comfortable pace. Just continuing in that way. And again, remember if at any stage you get distracted, just seeing the distraction, letting it go. And just bringing the attention back again. Coming back to that feeling. Your foot pressing against the ground beneath you, one followed by the next. Sense of reassurance, body in the mind, feeling a little more grounded. And a sense of being more engaged, better able to take in the space around you. As you just continue to walk in the same way now....

Details

TypeMindful Activity
Duration3-10 min

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  • A former Buddhist monk, Andy has guided people in meditation and mindfulness for 20 years. In his mission to make these practices accessible to all, he co-created the Headspace app in 2010.

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  • Eve is a mindfulness teacher, overseeing Headspace’s meditation curriculum. She is passionate about sharing meditation to help others feel less stressed and experience more compassion in their lives.

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  • As a meditation teacher, Dora encourages others to live, breathe, and be with the fullness of their experiences. She loves meditation’s power to create community and bring clarity to people’s minds.

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  • Kessonga has been an acupuncturists, therapist, and meditation teacher, working to bring mindfulness to the diverse populations of the world.

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  • Rosie Acosta has studied yoga and mindfulness for more than 20 years and taught for over a decade. Rosie’s mission is to help others overcome adversity and experience radical love.

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