The walk is the most fundamental way to perceive and interpret change. As you move, the world around you fluctuates as well. And while walking is the slowest method of transportation, it also allows our brains to process changes at a slower rate.
Most people are busy in their daily lives and don’t often take the time out of their schedule to slow down because people often want the quickest method. I always ride my bike to class, because I can leave later and get there earlier, and if there was a faster method of getting to class, I’d take it. It wasn’t until my bike was crashed into and taken to the bike shop that I started walking places.
Unfortunately, even when taking a walk, one is not always present in the situation. We are often swamped by an array of other thoughts to really be present on the walk--either by texting or talking on the phone or focusing on other thoughts inside our head, we are unable to process and truly be in the moment. I’d always want to maximize my time efficiency when taking a walk by making phone calls.
But when you pay attention to the world around you, everything is beautiful. At any given time, there is so much going on around you. You begin to notice patterns, like the way your feet make a soft clicking sound on the hard cement or how that sound fades when you approach a patch of grass. Even the circular strokes of the cement on the ground begin to stand out. You notice colors and things that you would never notice before, and even a walk down the same path can be different each time because you can pay attention to a multitude of aspects.
Being mindful on a walk can make it so much more enjoyable. Rather than walking simply to reach a destination, take the walk for what it is, and understand every moment of it. Paying attention to all your senses can make a walk so much more fascinating. Focus on the smells of nature, see the colors of people’s clothes, feel the crunches of woodchips under your shoes and the soft breeze hitting your cheeks. When you’re on a walk, you are present in the moment and changing as your environment changes. There are so many things you can choose to give attention to, but you can only focus on one.
Paying attention to the world around you, and being mindful of it, opens your mind to the possibilities of what reside around you. By having a clear mind when taking a walk, you absorb your environment, and it can be a form of meditation. "When you listen, everything is your teacher" and you can learn so much from just a simple walk through your neighborhood, campus, or town.
