For the past few years I have struggled to get (and stay) in shape. OK, I admit it, the fight has been longer than just a couple years. As a boy, instead of playing nice with the girls, he would fight with the neighborhood boys. I tried to join in on the fun with him and received new scars weekly from bloody football games. I was always last picked to play on the kickball team, and as a catcher for my fifth grade softball team, I hit the pitcher over the head with a fastball. Uncoordinated in team sports, I only succeeded in the baton twirl, which was fun, but I barely broke a sweat. After failures in group sports, I thought about trying to run, so a few years ago I tried training for a half marathon. I ended up limping home crying and thought I would never exercise again. (I couldn’t even MOVE after that, let alone exercise!)

Over the years, I’ve used walking as a way to get out of the house, to ‘warm up’ for more vigorous exercise, and just to hang out with friends. This year walking has become so much more for me. Walking allows me to integrate mind, body and spirit in a way that I have never experienced before. Athletes talk about being “in the zone.” I see that I too am an athlete and that walking can be vigorous and can give my body the movement it needs. Walking has allowed me to regain fitness goals that I had given up on. I think I finally found something I can be good at and stick with for the long haul!

“Movement in the body generates movement in the mind. It is a natural alchemy. Many of us look for this kind of movement in our lives, a fusion of being and doing.” – Carolyn Scott Kortge from her book, The Spirited Walker.

These days, our lives are set at an incredibly hectic pace. We have so much on our plates that we fear we’ll never finish it all, and we wonder when we’ll find time to do those things that give us pleasure. Even when the world seems to be spinning out of control, walking can restore our sense of inner peace. Time seems to expand, giving us a chance to slow down, relax, appreciate ourselves and our lives.

even when we are I’m just going for a walkwe are almost never fair walking. We carry our mind with us when we walk, so we are usually engrossed in our own thoughts. I have come to see that the only the work of walking has become drunk work. I’ve even dubbed some of my walks with particularly insightful friends “walk and talk,” where we process life together and use walking as a metaphor for moving forward in life.

And then there’s walking alone, which frees us up for some internal dialogue. I’ve learned to turn off my cell phone, remove my headphones, and stop drowning out the natural world. When I allow myself to listen to my own thoughts and resolve any internal conflicts, I am at peace in the sanctuary of my mind. Moving meditation or spiritual walking is a wonderful way to ground ourselves in our own presence.

“Above all, don’t lose your desire to walk. I’ve gotten into my best thoughts, and I don’t know of any thought so overwhelming that one can’t get rid of it. If one keeps walking, all will be well.” Soren Kierkegaard

Even if our job is wonderful, our family is healthy, and our future seems bright, we can lose touch with the deepest part of ourselves unless we slow down enough to take deep breaths, quiet our thoughts, and observe the natural world. with a sense of wonder. Walking with awareness gives us the opportunity to connect with the nature that surrounds us and our “inner nature”. Then we are able to attend to the trinity of which we are made: mind, body and spirit. By creating a balance between the three, we improve the quality of all areas of our lives.

Use a long walk or hike to get back home. If you don’t go in, you go out!

Very often we walk hastily, running from one place to another in a state of mindless detachment. Spirit walking is a form of meditation in motion. Choose a route that allows you to practice mindfulness by fully engaging your senses. Feel the hard pavement or soft grass under your feet, absorb the scent of honeysuckle as you pass, and make a mental note of the flowers that are blooming. Notice the sensation of the wind against your face. The rhythm of walking helps us to quiet our minds and from time to time we can receive inspiration or go deeper into a conflicting area of ​​our lives.

Plan a walking retreat.

You can use walking as a kind of mini retreat. I’m not talking about going away for a week or even a weekend, unless you want to of course. I suggest you set aside a few hours, or even a full day, for some walking exploration, away from the demands of work, home, and family.

First, choose a date on your calendar and mark it as your “retirement day.” You want this day to be yours, for your personal adventure on foot. Next, identify a place you want to explore on foot. If you like to be in nature, call your local parks and recreation department for maps of your area. If you love looking at houses and gardens (one of my favorite walks), think of a neighborhood you’d like to see up close. You want to spend your time walking, not driving, so try to choose a place that’s not too far from home. If you never have to get in your car, that’s even better.

The hour-long neighborhood walk I take ends at a long incline that leads to the street where I live. I hear my body telling me, “we can’t do this, we’ll never get home.” I hear my own inner demons loud and clear and then say goodbye to them with positive self-talk. As I get closer to the top of the hill, I recount how wonderful it was to walk and how strong I am getting. I’m glad it’s over, but I’m already looking forward to the next outing!

I am grateful for the spiritual walk. For me, it’s a new route to wellness, a fusion of muscle and mind. Infusing my exercise routine with spirituality has made it a good get into a God walk!