Next time you’re out for a walk, you might use the walk as an opportunity to try a walking meditation. A walking meditation is designed to bring the body and mind into sync + increasing awareness of what’s around us. It can also give us a valuable insight into our thought process.
Start walking at a pace that suits you, noticing how you walk. Observe the sensations in your feet and legs.
Do your legs feel heavy or light?
Do your feet and legs feel springy, light and energetic, or tense, heavy and stiff when they touch the ground?
What other physical sensations are you aware of?
Bring your attention to what sounds you can hear.
Then what tastes you’re aware of in your mouth.
Are there any smells in the air? There’s a strong connection between smells and memory - do any of the smells remind you of anything?
What can you see? Colours, shapes, cars, people, birds, anything and everything, but not fixating on any one thing.
Carry on walking while you tune into your 5 senses, at some point your mind will inevitably wander. Here’s your chance to learn a bit about your train of thought.
Observe where your mind wanders to - were you thinking of the future, past or present?
Were you just having a thought that you often have or a new thought?
How did that thought make you feel physically, mentally, emotionally?
Were you ruminating, worrying, analysing or planning?
Then let that thought go without judging yourself and come back to the present moment again; the easiest way is to start re-observing the 5 senses. When your mind wanders off, simply observe where your thoughts tend to go.
It can be an eye-opening insight into our thought cycle, our thoughts can make us happy or unhappy.