
We can be mindful while standing, walking or lying down while speaking, listening, working, playing and cooking. The energy of mindfulness helps us touch life deeply throughout the day, whether we’re brushing our teeth, washing the dishes, walking to work, eating a meal, or driving the car. We become aware of our breathing and come home to our body, fully present for ourselves and whatever we are doing. The information in this article is correct at the time of publishing.Mindfulness is a kind of energy that we generate when we bring our mind back to our body and get in touch with what is going on in the present moment, within us and around us. Just slowly bring it back to focus, without judgement. Can you hear people, animals or children? Can you feel the sun or a breeze? Do you notice any smells? Notice how you move into different spaces. Focus on the colour of your surroundings, the movements of your body and any noises you can hear.

After a few minutes, take a moment to think about how your body feels.Does each step make a noise? Are there sounds around you? Notice how the cycle repeats as you move along.Can you feel the ground beneath you? What can you hear as you walk? Feel your weight move into your front leg as you start to peel your back foot from the floor, from heel to toe. Think about how you lift your foot up and place it down further forward, starting with the heel and rolling through the entire sole. Now, rather than instinctively moving your legs, really focus on every move you’re making.You can speed up – and even run mindfully – but it’s good to start at a gentle pace while you get used to the practice. At first, you might find you need to keep the pace quite slow. Don’t worry about what your arms are doing, just try to walk naturally.When you’re ready, begin walking again.Take a moment to focus on your breathing. It doesn’t matter whether you’re on a remote ramble or walking to work in rush-hour, you can choose any setting for this practice.Don’t forget, you can be mindful anywhere, this is just one of the ways you can give it a go.
MINDFUL WALKING HOW TO
In this guide, our psychological health expert, Eugene Farrell, tells us how to walk mindfully. As long as you do it with intention, and really focus on being in the moment and noticing the world around you, you’ll notice that you begin to appreciate what you are experiencing while you experience it. The beauty of mindfulness is that you can do it anywhere, at any time – whether you’re in the car, having a shower, or taking a walk.

Mindfulness gives us a much-needed pause button.īy pressing pause in the moment that we start to feel angry and frustrated, we can change how we view the situation, and then have more control over our reactions. We find ourselves getting swept along from one thing to the next without having chance to think, and our immediate reactions can easily get the better of us.

In our busy world, it’s easy to get caught up feeling stressed and anxious over everyday things. Have you found yourself getting anxious and frustrated when you’ve been stuck in traffic or in a queue? Or have you been in a difficult meeting, where you’ve felt your shoulders tense and your heart pound, with your mind flooding with negative thoughts and emotions?
