What are the things in your life that seem to go together perfectly?
It could be pairings of food and drink, activities and a buddy, or any other combination of two objects, ideas, or people that you consider complementary to each other.
Take a moment to bring them to mind. Remember and appreciate the joy they have brought you in past experiences.
As you can see below, one of my perfect pairings is me and Spain – both the country and my favorite food combinations there.
Walking & Meditation
Walking and meditation are another very practical combination that can have a significant impact on your experience of life.
In your average day, how much time to you spend walking from place to place?
From your home to your car/transportation, from parking lots into buildings, around the supermarket, or from one destination to another. Often, these times can be a continuation of daily stressful rushing.
What if instead, you could get a mini-break from the constant flow of the mind chatter that creates stress? A moment of peace in several short intervals during your day can have the same effect as pressing the reset button on your nervous system.
Now before you go into the mental dialogue of “I just can't quiet my mind,” please know that everyone begins from that place. Forty years of evidence show that it is possible by introducing new practices, similar to how we train and develop our muscles. In this case, we are training our muscle of mindfulness.
So why are walking and meditation a perfect pairing? Because walking is already part of your day. To pair the two, you simply add a practice to an existing activity.
Short Practice
During these moments of daily walking, simply commit to the practice of paying attention to the body sensations you are currently experiencing.
Are you hot/cold or comfortable/uncomfortable? Can you feel your feet as they connect with the ground during each step? What else do you feel, smell, taste, hear or see as you are walking? Are these sensations pleasant or unpleasant?
When a thought reaches out and grabs your attention, notice the fact that your mind is beginning to chatter without getting involved in the “story” of the chatter’s content. No matter how important that thought seems in the moment, it is not your priority right now. You have committed to your wellbeing during this brief time of walking.
Then, simply redirect attention back to a body-felt sensation and begin your sensory scan once more.
To paraphrase renowned meditation teacher, Sharon Salzberg: the heart of the practice is in the moment of redirect. When you notice your mind becoming active, make the conscious choice to refocus your attention back to your senses.
These moments of being in your present moment experience open the door to greater clarity and wellbeing each day.
Don’t be surprised if you add walking and meditation to your list of your perfect pairings after introducing the practice in your life!
Let your wisdom lead,
Robin
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