Physical symptoms of anxiety and tension can include a clenched jaw, a tight chest, shallow breathing, and aching joints.
Practicing this walking mediation daily can help reduce these physical symptoms. And you may also experience how you can take back control of your mind and feelings.
When you meditate, you focus your attention on a simple phrase, word, or object. If (or rather when!) your thoughts wander, acknowledge this, without getting caught up in the thoughts, before you turn your attention back to your mantra.
You'll gradually calm and quieten your mind as it closes off to the ambient noise both within you and outside.
Mediation, like anything else, becomes easier the more you practice. Walking is a great way of relaxing, layering it with this simple meditation makes it even more powerful as a natural calming tool.
Go out for a walk!
Decide to take a break. 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes .... Note it in your diary, make a date with yourself, put your shoes on and go outside.
As you walk, purposefully drop your shoulders. Physically feel the tension leave your neck and shoulders. Release tension from your face, relax your jaw and part your lips slightly. Feel the difference.
When you relax your jaw, you automatically reduce the constant stream of conversation you have with yourself. You can’t talk with your mouth open!
Now just observe your breathing as you walk along. Check-in and pay attention to its flow, its presence, its aliveness. Are you breathing through your mouth or your nose? Can you feel the breath flowing through your body? Does it feel shallow or deep?
Turn your attention inwards.
Gently begin counting one, two, as you breathe in slowly, and then one, two, as you breathe out softly and slowly. Continue doing this and find your rhythm. You will naturally feel your legs moving along in time to this rhythm. Picture the one and the two as you walk and breathe. Give the numbers a colour, a size.
There is no hidden meaning behind using one, two it simply helps to focus your attention as you walk.
Notice your shoulders, are they still down? How about your jaw, is it unclenched? Is your forehead creased in a frown or are you relaxing the muscles around your eyes and forehead? Relax your hands and arms let them swing. This is your meditation on the move!
If your mind wanders, just come back to your slow and steady one, two, and breathing. Continue focusing on your breath, your steps, your numbers.
If you want, you can add your own personal word onto the end of one, two - maybe “relax” or “peace” or “calm”. Breathe in one, two, mantra, breathe out one, two, mantra.
Discover and enjoy the simple power of movement, breathing, and focused thought!