Hello friends, this week I’m going to focus on the topic of mindful walking. This isn’t about power walking, counting the number of steps, walking for weight loss, or physical fitness, although, of course, these are all added benefits of your daily walk or walks.

When I became ill with stress, grief, and overwork last year, I had so many things to unravel, that I soon discovered that the best way to clear my mind enough to think more clearly was to walk.

Image with thanks - Dimtry Schemelev @enioku via Unsplash

1. Improves cardiovascular health – strengthening the heart, lowering blood pressure, and improving circulation.

2. Aids weight management – burning calories and helping to boost metabolism.

3. Strengthens muscles and bones – promoting muscle strength and endurance, as well as improving bone health.

4. Maintains healthy joint health – as a low-impact form of exercise, walking is gentle on the joints, making it great for all age groups and fitness levels.

5. Boosts mood and mental health – stimulating the release of endorphins, the neurotransmitters that promote feelings of happiness.

6. Improves sleep – walking helps to regulate the sleep-wake circadian rhythm leading to more restful sleep.

7. Improves cognitive functions – the improved blood flow to the brain, means enhanced memory, attention, and concentration.

8. Longevity – walking increases life expectancy by reducing the risk of chronic diseases by improving overall health.

That’s quite a list, isn’t it? Gradually my walks became a lot more than even the wonderful benefits described above.

Philosopher and walking professor, in his book A Philosophy of Walking, said, “Walking is an expression of our humanity. It is a fundamental part of who we are as beings that inhabit this earth. When we walk, we honor our connection to the land and the countless generations of walkers who have come before us."

Gros describes walking as a way of reconnecting to our true selves, not the person we introduce ourselves to at social gatherings or office meetings or the person we think we have to be, but a version of ourselves that is free of worrying about time, social conventions, and daily worries. Gros says that the freedom of walking lies in not being anyone because the walking body has no history.  He advocates walking in rural places being far more beneficial than urban walking, although any walk is better than no walk.

Another philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche was also a great advocate of using walking as a philosophical act. Nietzsche is quoted as saying “We do not belong to those who have ideas only among books, when stimulated by books.  It is our habit to think outdoors – walking, leaping, climbing, dancing, preferably on lonely mountains or near the sea where even the trails become thoughtful.”

Back to my walking, as I described earlier, my walks began as a way of clearing my mind enough to think about myself and my life with more clarity and ease. However, over time they became much more than that:

• Connection with nature – as I set upon my self-exploration, a part of my thinking that change was about a sense of being. I explored our connection with nature and the more I researched, I found that humanity, somewhere along the way lost its true connection to nature.  We always seem to be inadvertently working against it rather than with it. I firmly believe that we are ‘nature’ we are not separate from it.  By separating ourselves from nature, there is an innate sense of disconnection that we don’t realize is happening. This also links to our human microbiome, which is a topic for another time.

• Freedom and independence – for me this was another expression gained through my walking practice. Walking became symbolic of a sense of freedom, and independence and I believe this was due to the solitude and expansiveness it nurtured in me.

• Personal growth – it was in these moments snatched from reality that I was able to make sense of what was important to me, it gave me a space of self-discovery and philosophical exploration. The expression of forward movement came to signal that I was moving and embracing my challenges.

• Mindfulness and meditation – in time, I began to see my walks as a meditative practice and would often pop my earphones in and start a meditation whilst walking.  I found this both soothing and exhilarating depending on the meditation I chose for the walk. Here I recommend the work of Dr Joe Dispenze and in particular, his Walk for the World meditation - see his website here: Shop | Meditations (drjoedispenza.com)

• Spiritual connection – readers familiar with my blogs will know that one of my challenges during 2023 was losing my dear Cocker Spaniel Holly (see my previous 3-part series of living with pet grief) Living with Pet Grief – Life with Holly – Blog 1 of 3 — Jackie Mandeir.  Her passing affected the core of my identity and I had a period of exploration and understanding of grief and loss from a spiritual perspective. What I came to believe is linked back to my first point about our connection with nature. 

You may have heard of the phrase “When a robin appears, loved ones are near.” We all experience moments in nature when that may stop us in our tracks as we admire the birds, and animals that come close to us, but do we think about the significance or pass it off as coincidence or incidental? For me, I took great solace in those difficult times, in noticing nature and the signs it was giving me that passed loved ones are close by, guiding us, comforting us, and helping us along our life path.

My closing thoughts are that if you, like me, live in a part of the world that has very distinct seasons, it may be hard to see the beauty of all that is around us when we are feeling the rain, snow, wind, or even the heat of summers months, but I am trying to embrace all weather because that is the beauty of our home called earth.

Question of the Week

Should we stop looking at walking as a way to get from A to B or clocking up those 10,000 steps on our devices? And start viewing them as something far deeper – I would love to hear your thoughts.

My Favourite Things This Week

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Thank you for taking the time to read, I look forward to connecting with you.

Jackie