For today, observe how mindful you are when going from place to place.
Notice your pace. Are you in a rush? Are you always focused on reaching your destination? Do you feel that time is not on your side? When walking, do you focus more on the journey and experience of the walk or only the place you want to get to? Even if the focus of your walk is fitness, are you only concerned about the outcome and the result or do you hear the birds, see the trees, breathe in the air, experience awe at the beauty of nature? Most of us rush around in a hurried manner; there are things to do and we don’t have time to be conscious of and appreciate the journey. Yet, the journey is the most important part. It is the part that matters. How can we begin to cultivate mindfulness around the journey and the steps? When we practice mindfulness and present-moment living, the fruits of joy and peace can occur long before the destination is reached, if it is ever reached.
Mindful walking is a physical way to remember that it is about the journey. Walking meditation is about slowing our pace, enjoying the walk itself, focusing on the one step we can do at this moment. It is profoundly simple and profoundly significant. It is a way to achieve peace and joy and experience mindful living. We can rush, we can focus our energy on the destination, we can forget that there are people at our side who truly want to share the journey with us, we can choose to skip over and ignore the small beautiful experiences that every journey provides, we don’t have to smell the roses. To live mindfully is a choice and we make it every day in every step we take.
For today, try:
• Slowing down your pace
• Spending time in walking meditation
• Fasting from a sense of rushing
Wishing you peace, love, and joy throughout your day,
Rebecca