“People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle that we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child – our own two eyes. All is a miracle.”- Thich Nhat Hanh
Don’t Take It For Granted
Although we all have legs that we use to walk every day, few people ever learn not to take walking for granted, like most other things in life, including life itself. If we stop walking automatically, we will experience fantastic healing and many other possibilities contained in a miraculous act called walking.
A convulsive attachment to the comfort of a sedentary lifestyle has made us forget how we should walk with grace, lightness, and a sense of grounding and security.
Body Is Designed to Move
We live in cities in the midst of a technocratic age with very pronounced conformist tendencies and we can’t avoid long sitting. The good news is that this, however, is not a problem in itself, if we walk and exercise enough and well between sitting.
Our body from the neck down is designed to walk and run, not to sit on chairs. We instinctively reach for movement when we are in a tense situation or threatened.
Walking has incredible healing power, especially if we pay unanimous attention to the very act of walking, breathing, and the relationship with the earth and space.
Psychogeography
Psychogeography, as the term suggests, is a crossroads of psychology and geography. It focuses on our psychological experiences of the city and reveals or illuminates forgotten, rejected, or marginalized aspects of the urban environment.
Psychogeography was a very effective experimental method that sought to mark an indeterminate route of wandering in urban environments and was not predetermined by the rhythm of society. It was about walking, generating natural situations, and case experiences.
It represents the setting of a place that is more than a geographical location, or a brick and a foundation and has to do with all our associations to that place, with history, both national and personal. In what way are those places important to us, and what makes the identity of that place.
“Practicing this involves setting aside the usual reasons for going out, such as commuting, and pursuing a “dérive” instead – a drift through varied areas to defamiliarise.”- Philippa Holloway
In this way, while walking, you can explore places on various levels – mythical and historical, to this day.
We offer you 5 ways to observe your surroundings while walking:
Discover New Spaces And New Routes
One way of reengaging with your local area could be finding a new route when walking to work or school.
In this way, you will bypass the usual sensations of the senses to the images, smells, and sounds of the environment.
If you haven’t already, join a sightseeing tour of the place where you live. You will probably hear a lot of interesting things and news about places that are only known to you by eye. Maybe you know some other cities better than the one you live in.
Act like a tourist. Explore, take photos and enjoy.
Conscious Walking
Conscious walking is a technique that involves meditation in motion. For some people, this may be easier and more natural than the usual meditation positions. Walking during meditation helps focus on the present, developing clarity and strength of mind.
When performed with full presence, the acquired concentration is maintained long after conscious Walking, while contributing to easier focusing on meditation in a sitting position.
This practice involves first setting the intention to focus on your steps or the moment when your feet touch the ground. You don’t have to change the way you walk just to be aware of the steps you take, just walk naturally or at the pace you normally do. Sometimes participants like to change their walking speed to see how it affects their focus, but this choice is up to you. Some participants say that sometimes even counting their steps can be relaxing for them.
As practised in nature, in parks, and forests, conscious walking is good for general health, improving circulation and metabolism in general. It reduces fears, nervousness, and insecurities.
Slow The Pace
When we walk the same path every day, it is very likely that we will overlook the beauty that surrounds us. So slow down and stop every five minutes to notice your surroundings. Pay attention to plants, wildlife, odours, and air quality. Observe your emotions related to these external stimuli.
To relax during the walk, experts advise you to choose quieter trails. If possible, find nature trails surrounded by water and trees. This is great for your mind as well.
In nature, the sensations and dynamics of the environment are constantly changing, whether it is the wind, the sunset, or the murmur of water in the fountain.
Contribute To The Improvement Of The Environment
Maybe a walk will encourage you to do something to protect the environment. Perhaps you may want to sow wildflowers and protect biodiversity.
Keeping your car at home and taking a walk is already a big step. More people walking will reduce traffic noise and pollution. At the same time, pedestrians on average are less exposed to air pollutants compared to persons travelling by car, bus, or bike.
Breathe
Proper breathing brings us to the present moment in which we can perceive our surroundings in a different, unique way.
Inhale deeply and steadily as you walk in steady, slow steps. Consciously begin to exclude thoughts. Concentrate on breathing. Inhale while taking two or three steps, then exhale the same amount.
If thoughts start to come to you, just ignore them. Instead of old thoughts or worries, focus on the breath and nature or any other surroundings. Observe them without condemnation or comment just as they are and enjoy the beauty of creation.
Download the Sweatcoin App
Sweatcoin’s intention is to help people improve and maintain their physical and mental well-being by encouraging them to walk more often. We created to Sweatcoin app to reward you for your steps by converting the distance you walk into a digital currency you can use to buy merchandise from over 300 retailers.
So what are you waiting for? Download the sweatcoin app today and start earning spending money.
