The benefits of mindful walking meditation

Whether it’s a light stroll outside to clear your head or a brisk walk through your local park for daily exercise, the benefits of walking are vast. But did you know that combining your walks with conscious mindfulness can improve both your physical and mental wellbeing? Here are some of the benefits that mindful walking meditation can bring to your life, as well as easy tips to get started.

What is mindful walking?

A core element of mindful walking is that it’s about the journey rather than the destination. While walking or jogging purely for exercise is all about getting to the end and experiencing the rush of endorphins – and of course the long-term health benefits – mindful exercise is more about looking inward.

Mindful walking involves taking a walk without slipping into autopilot. Instead, you are conscious about your movements, your body, your thoughts and feelings, and most of all making sure you are focused on being aware of what’s around you. The smell of the grass in the morning, the rustle of leaves in the breeze, the sound of other pedestrians, the warmth of the sun on your skin.

Ultimately, mindful walking is about becoming more aware of your surroundings and enjoying the immediacy of the experience. Rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future, you instead open up your senses and take joy from simply being in the moment.

How does meditation play into mindful walks?

While mindful walking might be ideal for many people, some choose to take it a step further by integrating meditation into their walks. This is a specific technique that is slow-paced and often combined with seated-meditation activities.

You are free to take meditation walks over long distances, or if it’s easier to concentrate in a smaller space then walking in a circle is a good option for you. It’s not always easy getting started so back and forth in a straight line may help you during your initial attempts. Here are some examples of walking meditation styles you might like to explore further:

• Theravada requires increased effort and mental process when compared with other forms of walking meditations, with the practitioner walking back and forth along a 10-12 metre path, maintaining a specific focus throughout.
• Vipassana encourages practitioners to focus on the upward and downward parts of each step as an aid to moving through the five stages of insight or “clear seeing” that leads to nirvana.
• Kinhin is typically practiced between two long periods of sitting meditation, utilising precise instructions that are designed to help the practitioner maintain focus while moving, and can greatly extend the period of time a person is able to meditate.

5 mental and physical benefits of mindful walking meditation

The best part about being mindful on your walks is that it exercises your brain as well as your body. Especially during difficult periods of our lives, being mindful during exercise can support our holistic health and contribute to greater overall wellbeing. Here are some of the top benefits you can experience:

1. Reduced anxiety: Walking combined with meditation can be an effective way to reduce anxiety symptoms.
2. Better quality of sleep: Even moderate exercise like walking has been proven to have positive effects on sleep quality.
3. Healthier blood flow: Especially if you spend most of the day seated at work or home, going for a mindful walk can help boost blood circulation.
4. More mental clarity: Breaking free of mental shackles through regular mindfulness exercises can bring clarity and help you be more creative and decisive.
5. Improved digestion: Walking is a great way to feel less full and also improve your gut health – especially as you get older.

A study into the effects of mindfulness during exercise found that people who do not enjoy exercise may benefit from listening to a mindfulness recording during the activity which can result in a better exercise experience. This could increase motivation and make such individuals more likely to repeat the exercise at a later time.

So, if you’re finding it hard to get going, supplement your mindfulness walks with a podcast or use a mindfulness app to help guide you through the process. In no time you’ll be on your feet – living, breathing and feeling the moment – rather than dwelling on what you can’t control!

The first step to your wellbeing

There are countless advocates for the positive effects of mindfulness and walking meditations, so start taking control of your mental and physical health by embracing the here and now with a more mindful approach to exercise.

Rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future, meditation can help you find joy simply by being in the moment. With life insurance in place, you could have less to worry about and distract you while you’re on your mindfulness walks. It’s easy to find a policy with Choosi, so start comparing quotes today.