A common man marvels at uncommon things. A wise man marvels at the commonplace. CONFUCIUS

Saturday 3 April 2010

A Mindful Walk (1)


I try and go for a walk most days, even if it's just round the village. With a little imagination you can walk a subtly different route each time by using slightly different variations and permutations. I may only walk to the end of the village and back, I may take in some of the surrounding countryside, or I may even walk seven miles to the nearest town if I have a few hours to spare (you can reach it on paths, tracks and quiet lanes without touching a main road.)



The other day I returned home from one such walk and realized with a shock that I could scarcely remember anything about the walk at all. I knew the ground I'd covered, but I'd been on 'automatic pilot' - so deep in thought, so immersed in all the plans, preoccupations and anxieties that plague our minds much of the time - that I'd barely registered any of the things I'd seen or heard (let alone or touched or smelt). Of course my senses were there all the time, working away. I just hadn't tapped into them, so I'd missed out on all the peace and calm, the joy and pleasure they could have instantly brought me.



The next day I resolved to be more present in the 'nowscape' of my walk, to be fully aware of every sense experience, to be mindful of each moment...

(All photos taken on my village walks.)

4 comments:

martine said...

I am sure I have spent whole days at work like that, that the same sensation can be useful, to take yourself out of a tedious situation and make the time pass by disappearing inside your own head for a few hours.
thanks for sharing
martine

gleaner said...

I've asked a friend to join me in my walk later today and realise that it means it wont be a solitary walk where I can be mindful of the nature around me...I'm happy to share my walk but its no substitution for the calming and mindful effects of my usual walks.

Grace said...

I love the photo with the cattails.

I haven't put in the effort to walk from my town to the next yet using the "tracks to trails" available--if only I could convince the hubby to tag along.

I'll be walking some new roads myself with lots of ocean views!

The Solitary Walker said...

Thanks everyone for your comments!