Zen Walking

"All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking." - Friedrich Nietzche





One of my goals for the year is to get healthy and stay healthy. I'm not a big fan of taking medications so I always try the natural route first. For me this entails eating the right foods, taking time to rest, getting enough sleep, less stress, and consistent exercising. 

Joint pain is one of the challenges that comes with my autoimmune disease. It's important that I keep moving to keep the joints loose, but I need to move in a way that won't damage the joints themselves. Although running has been a great exercise for me in the past, the inflammation it causes in my joints means it's not the best option for me anymore. Instead, I walk or hike. I'm good with this. I have always loved walking and hiking, even as a kid. I enjoy the pace and the opportunities it brings to slow down and see the people and things around me. The truth is I have never felt closer to God than when I am walking in nature. Walking brings me peace and is my best time for self-reflection.

It has been a bonus to walk with Jim. Somedays we walk and have some deep conversations. Other days we walk with more silent times as we process the challenges we are facing and try to get control of the emotions we are feeling. I cherish each walk and I have learned to appreciate these moments as they help us improve ourselves individually and as a couple. 

To get the most benefits out of my walks I try to practice mindful walking. The practice of mindful walking comes from Buddhist Zen monks that use walking as part of their meditation practices to cultivate peace and happiness. Much of the guidance in their teachings is about getting comfortable with yourself - your suffering, your speed, your breath, your steps. The Zen masters repeatedly emphasize that "mindfulness is an easy and gradual process that can eventually seep into and inform your every moment. But also, you can do it whenever and wherever, and every time you remember, you're being enlightened. 

Really the idea isn't to achieve some ultimate happiness but to develop the skills to continually deal with and heal the psychic and physical pain that is an inevitable aspect of existence." (From the book Walking Meditations) 

Here are a few of the basics of Zen walking:

1. Correct posture - Head up, stand tall, chin parallel to the ground, ears aligned with your shoulders, keep your shoulders down and back, engage your core, swing your arms.

2. Pace - walk slowly, faster than you would walk indoors, but not too fast that you miss what's going on around you

3. Breathing - breath normally, occasionally take a deeper breath in through your nose and exhale through your mouth

4. Let yourself notice - the movements of your body, the feel of the ground under your feet, the air on your face, see the colors, shapes and textures, hear the sounds, and notice the smells of your surroundings. 

5. Be aware of your thoughts - it's easy to find yourself deep in your thoughts whether they are good or bad. Be aware of thoughts that bring feelings of fear or anxiety, redirect your thoughts as necessary.

6. Pause now and then to take it all in. For me these are my gotta stop and take a picture moments. God has created an amazing world, take the time to notice his handywork.

There is a spiritual component to mindful walking. I have had some amazing conversations with God on some of my walks. It's mostly me sharing my prayers with God hoping to receive some inspiration. It's therapeutic to share my thoughts and concerns, along with my feelings of gratitude with God. There is something special about praying outside. I can't explain it, but I know it makes me feel closer to Him.

Some of the best moments in the scriptures happened outdoors. I would have loved to have been at the Sermon on the Mount or walking beside Jesus as a disciple being taught the truths of the gospel. Jesus often prayed outdoors in preparation for coming events. He walked and walked and walked to get to where he needed to teach. I appreciate his example, if it's good enough for Jesus then it's good enough for me. 

I am grateful for all the benefits that I am getting from mindful walking. I'm getting physically stronger and able to control my thoughts and emotions better. I am building a stronger relationship with my husband and with my God. I am learning to control my disease instead of letting it control me. I look forward to more healing moments this coming year on this crazy journey I find myself on. May peace and happiness abound in 2023.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Importance of Manners

Image
  Whatever happened to using your manners? I am often shocked by the lack of manners in our society. The rudeness, the language, the total disregard for another person's feelings. It's a terrifying sign of our times. Sadly, it appears to be a growing problem for our society. It causes contention, divisiveness, and is usually a sign of a declining society. It should give everyone cause for concern that our society is deteriorating in this area, it doesn't end well if we can't get it together. In my efforts to live intentionally I believe that manners will play a large role in my behavior. I was taught that manners, courtesy, politeness and etiquette were important to one's success in this life. It wasn't up for debate that you would say please when requesting something, and you would say thank you when you received it. You opened doors for others, you looked them in the eye when they spoke to you, you shook hands when appropriate, you watched your language, and y...
Read more

Good Question

Image
  I saw this and thought it went perfectly with my ‘Be Intentional’ theme this year. This year I want to focus on creating a purposeful life. A life filled with meaningful moments, joy, laughter, growth, peace, gratitude, and so much more. Less worry, more fun. Not just existing but living a fulfilling life. To create this life, I will need to make some changes, create some habits, ask some questions, and be brave enough to step out of my comfort zone.  There will be lots of choices to make, some big (like where to live), and some small (like what to eat for breakfast), but all of them filled with potential. A simple way for me to evaluate my options is to ask myself, “Does this support the life I am trying to create?” If not, then adios! I want to get in the habit of questioning the worth of my decisions in creating a better life. I also want to make sure that my answers are in tune with God. I did a little research in the scriptures about asking questions and was struck by t...
Read more

Anticipate the Difficult

Image
  I enjoy quotes, especially ones that sit in my mind and percolate. This particular quote by the Daoist philosopher Lao Tzu has been giving me lots to think about. What exactly does it mean to anticipate the difficult by managing the easy? Is it important to anticipate the difficult? Is there a benefit from managing the easy? How can I apply this principle to the difficulties in my own life? It is said that Lao Tzu's journey began as he worked his way towards the western border of China, currently Tibet. He was saddened by what he saw around him: men being diverted away from nature and the goodness it brings. A guard he met on the border asked Lao to write down his teachings as he went. This is when he wrote the famous Tao Te Ching, a 5,000-character account of his thoughts and philosophical ideas. I'd like to comment on the background information. I appreciate the fact that as Lao was traveling through nature, he wrote his words. Nature is the place where I find many an...
Read more