Who doesn’t like to feel a deep relief sensation? A lot of us live such busy lives, not getting a chance to relax and stay focused on our core. If you want to take care of yourself in one beneficial way for your mind, body, or your soul, why not give it a go with meditation?
Meditation is a simple and universal practice for developing embodied awareness. Everyone should give it a go. Meditation is for men, women, and different age groups. This time, try out walking meditation. You don’t have to walk in any special way. It’s not about the way you walk, but rather where your attention is as you walk. Keep on reading and learn all there’s to it.
How to practice walking meditation? Top 5 reasons to do it
Before you begin your meditation, find a space to walk in and around. You should go for something that makes you happy and that you are familiar with (to begin with). Later on, you will see that you can stay focused on your steps even in your dark hallway! Here are just some perks of meditation that might interest you:
1. Better focus on anything
You should always and solely focus on your current life path, without worrying about the future. Research shows we can actually train our attention and our meta-awareness, and that one specific pattern, way of breathing, and thinking can be good for our overall health, focus on different information, as well as new life habits. You can also benefit a lot from this if you are still in school or if your job demands high focus daily.
2. Improve your self-esteem
Mindfulness meditation encourages you to slow down and self-reflect while keeping a positive attitude. It even helps with social situations and anxiety. If you want to work on yourself and change some focal points and views on life, it is a must-do in your case! In fact, who doesn’t like to feel empowered and a lot more filled with confidence?
3. Reduce stress
Mindfulness meditation can also help to lower the levels of cortisol.
If you have been under a lot of pressure or if you have been dealing with stress or depression, this will help! Most people tend to see a difference in their behavior in less than two months. If you work in a stressful environment and you get irritated easily, it is time to put an end to it.
4. Manage anxiety or depression
Mindfulness meditation helps train your mind to focus on the present without feeling worried about the future, or feeling guilt for something from your past. A lot of dwell on our life path and we don’t focus on anything that is surrounding us at a given moment. If you have had trouble sleeping, you’ve lost your appetite, and you are always cranky, it is time to try out something new.
5. You can control pain
Did you know that meditation can help reduce pain?! It helps with post-surgical, acute, or chronic pain of any type of situation and for different age groups. You will control your thoughts, pain levels, and overall state, focusing on the positive aspects. Do not let yourself worry too much or over exaggerate your health situation or current state. Control yourself and your body, not vice versa.
How to do walking meditation in 6 steps
Step 1: If you have the time and opportunity, take a pause before you begin and collect your thoughts while focusing on the awareness of your body. Breathe in and out. Spare just 10-15 minutes and enjoy this process.
Step 2: Keeping your eyes open, begin walking at a natural pace that suits you and that you’re comfortable with. Focus on your feet and how they are touching the ground. You should focus on changes in pressure, texture, and sensation, one foot after the other. If possible, try to walk around barefoot. It boosts your senses.
Step 3: If your mind wanders off at one point stop it from doing that! Bring back the focus and the attention to your feet. Bring back your focus as much and as often as it needs to happen (this will vary for every person). Do not worry if it seems like a lot at first, this is pretty common and natural.
Step 4: As you continue walking naturally, expand your attention to vision. It is up to you to notice and truly sink in all the colors, shapes, patterns, and different textures. Focus on anything that is different and that brings you joy and keeps your attention. You can even incorporate the scent sensation of some items.
Step 5: Expand your attention to sounds. Whether you’re indoors, in the woods, or in a city, pay attention to sounds. Try to memorize them and see how you react to all of them. How do they make you feel? What emotions can you link to some of them?
Step 6: Bring the focus back to awareness of the physical sensations on the soles of the feet. It is a full-circle moment, which is why you will end the journey there where you’ve started it. Deep breath and come back to your routine. You are done walking.
In less than 10 minutes you will realize what you have to do and what has an impact on your soul. You can also hit pause whenever convenient for you.
Do you want to give it a go?
Do you want to feel cool, calm, and collected? Ready to become one with your mind, body, and soul? As you can see, there is a lot of pros and benefits when it comes to meditation. Which one aspect do you want to focus on the most? At Maryland Mindfulness, all of your worries and issues will disappear, thanks to their 10-minutes workshop, led meditation, body scan meditations, or breathing exercises. They are a non-profit with the only goal of making mindfulness practices easy to understand and available to everyone.
