Practice of conscious walking

Mindful walking is a form of meditation in movement that allows you to cultivate mindfulness while doing such an everyday activity as walking.

This practice, accessible to most people fortunate enough to be able to walk, consists of bringing an intentional awareness to the act of walking and the sensations and perceptions that emerge during the process, whether in a natural or urban environment or even in confined spaces.

Fundamentals of Conscious Walking

The essence of conscious walking is not to reach a destination. But to be fully present in every step of the journey.

It can be practiced anywhere: en un parque, por la calle, en un pasillo, o incluso dando unos pocos pasos lentamente hacia adelante y hacia atrás en una línea.

Before we begin, it is helpful to remember the intention to be more mindful, to be in the present moment on purpose and without judgment.

A guided exercise can involve walking in silence as a group, paying attention to the breath (breathing in, breathing out) and the environment, and then sharing the experience.

Many participants in such exercises report noticing details of their surroundings for the first time, even though they have been there countless times.

Focus on Sensations and Breathing

During mindful walking, you are invited to pay attention to how your feet slowly touch the ground, noticing the contact and movement of each foot while the other is in the air.

Internal questions can be asked such as "What do I feel in my feet? Tingling, tiredness, the texture of the floor?".

Another important focus is breathing: se puede coordinar la respiración con los pasos, por ejemplo, inhalando durante un número determinado de pasos y exhalando durante otro.

The idea is to stay connected to the rhythm of the breath while walking.

Observing the Environment and Managing Distractions

While walking, you also pay attention to your surroundings: what you see, what you hear, what you feel.

You can notice if there is something moving, how the body feels, if there is any tension or pain (simply by recognizing it without judgment).

It is common to discover things that have never been noticed before.

As in any mindfulness practice, it is natural for the mind to wander and thoughts to arise.

When this happens, the instruction is simply to acknowledge the thought and gently redirect attention back to the walking experience or to the chosen focus, such as the breath.

As long as you recognize your thoughts and return to the present, you are practicing mindfulness.

Mindful walking can be combined with other practices, such as meditation on sounds, paying attention to each sound near or far and the spaces between them.