Walking is something we do all the time. From room to room, here to there, back and forth. We walk at home, at work and to exercise our bodies. We walk to transport ourselves and keep ourselves active. We even walk just for the pleasure of moving. We walk an average of 3,000 steps a day.
Have you ever stopped and asked yourself why you move the way you do?
Some of us shuffle, gallop, pace it out, others stride, drag and sometimes bounce. The way you walk can tell you so much about how you feel within yourself. For example;
Walking quickly with purpose or on a mission can feel exhausting if first you are not connected to your body.
Walking slowly and without any purpose or commitment can reveal how you are within yourself.
Walking and worrying or thinking about the future or past can make the walk itself a mission and not an enjoyable moment to feel your connection with you.
Walking just to get fit or transport yourself can mean the quality of the walking is no longer felt and the walking becomes robotic and care-less.
A Marker Of Truth
A very wise man once said 'Your body is your marker of truth' SB. This simply means that however your body is feeling is an indicator of how you are health wise and on an energetic level. So if you feel heavy and a dragging sensation in your body then something within you in not in harmony. If you feel nervous energy or overstimulated the body and organs are not in harmony.
Taking a short walk can open up a conversation you can have with yourself, developing a deeper relationship with YOU.
Walking with you and listening to your body can unlock information about yourself that is just waiting to be known.
Do you enjoy walking?
Start small. Bring awareness to yourself by noticing your breath. Simply walk from room to room in your home. What do you notice? How does your body feel?
Do you stand tall with you heart open?
Are you balanced on both feet, do you have a particular style?
Are you connected with your body or are you in your head and disconnected with your body?
Do you walk on your whole foot or do you compromise?
Do you complete the movement or step before you are balanced?
You may be surprised by what you notice.
The more aware we become of our walk, the more we can support ourselves to enjoy this amazing movement we perform every single day.
6 simple steps to being an essential walker
Stop and breathe gently. It's great to begin with a clear start.
Find your flow. Notice the movement of your arms and feet. Find your rhythm.
Stay with your body. This simply means, don’t get ahead of yourself, and end up following your thoughts but leaving your body behind.
Connect with your head, shoulders and hips. Feel the flow of your legs as they move in time with your heartbeat. Feel your feet on the ground. Allow your heart to guide your walk.
Find your purpose. How you feel today. Why you are deciding to walk from A to B? Where are you are headed and how do you choose to take every single step?
Enjoy yourself, your body, your connection with yourself and your connection to the earth.
Walking with YOU can be one of the most pleasurable things you choose to do every single day.
Start around the house, head out the door and around the block and pretty soon you will be venturing out into the world with your newly claimed walk.
Deeply connecting with your body and walking with grace can and will be your way to feel your marker in any given situation.
For example;
Am I feeling tired or run down?
Am I feeling connected with my purpose?
Do I have a lot of issues I need to resolve?
Walk your Talk.
We hold all our choices in our body.
When we walk with commitment and a real sense of purpose we unlock the old patterns and behaviours we once had that held us back. These patterns might be ways we have used our bodies, eating habits, ways we are with others, old conversations, unresolved issues. The choices we have made in the past can be released simply by walking and becoming aware of them to release them from our bodies. It takes a little practise and a choice to feel more connected but wow the benefits are forever available.
Walking with your body and claiming your true natural self can feel powerful.
So next time you decide to walk from A to B or even take a walk out in nature, make a choice. A choice to connect with your body and enjoy your stride. A choice to walk with purpose. A choice to care about you and your amazing body. Who knows, before long you may feel like walking with others that have the same feeling to connect.
Group Walking
Whats as amazing as a walk alone> A walk with others!
Why not enjoy gently walking as a group? In a group you can feel your own walking style and the power of the group holding you all together as a connected community. The group like a flock of birds, holds its own rhythms and pulse. The group walk allows for discussion that can take you into a deeper dialogue just by the fact that you are all walking with a similar purpose. The group walk brings a greater awareness to you as a team member. The group walk is very powerful and the benefits are many.
So are you an essential walker?