Walking is a wonderful form of exercise. While some rave about the physical benefits of walking, taking a stroll in nature is also very good for the mind and the spirit.
This walking meditation has a remarkable way of turning your habitual negative thought processes into constructive and creative thinking. Why not make your next ordinary walk in the park extraordinary?
Before you head out the door, set an intention to let go of negative or self-sabotaging thoughts. Then, put yourself in the mindset that your walk will be less about physical exercise, and more about shifting your thought processes to serve you better.
In the beginning of your walk, take a few moments to notice the subtle aspects of your surroundings. Savor the sights, sounds, and smells all around you. View the world at large without placing judgment on it. Keep an open mind.
As you continue your walk, practice using what you see, hear and smell to help draw your focus away from your thoughts. Imagine your thoughts are emitting only faint and muffled background noises, much like hearing the sound of traffic coming and going along a nearby street.
Be sure and let go of the need to bounce around from thought to thought. Trust that when you detach from your thoughts, your mind will do all it can to sift through and release old habitual thought patters. Negative thinking isn’t a natural function of the mind because positive thinking is what your mind is innately built to do.
During this time of disengaging from your thoughts, imagine your mind working like a sieve. Picture it filtering through its mental and emotional contents, separating and releasing all negative thoughts. Practice this imagery for the majority of your walk.
You will soon notice your mind beginning to stream positive and creative thoughts. Do not give up now. This is the time when negativity gets out of the way and great ideas come to the surface, brilliant inventions are realized, and problems are solved.
It is important that you do not try and force positive thinking. Trust that your mind is made to think good things on its own so let it do the work. If a negative thought comes back up, go back to letting your thoughts flow through your mental sieve.
Enjoy this walking meditation as a way to clear your head, uplift your spirit, and spark a new, creative, and positive outlook on life.
