“Life goes where your mind goes.”

Beverley Pugh

What’s Inspiring Me This Month?

How often have you gone for a walk, and stayed in your head the whole time? We call this “relaxation”.

I love hiking;  I love animals;  and I love nature.  Let me share with you one of the practices I do that has been a strong part of my connection to great health and happiness.  When I hike, I tend to go to Capilano Canyon or the Baden Powell Trail.  I love areas with few people and the feeling of wilderness.  In addition to my two dogs, I have the companion of my mind.  That makes a lot of companions for a simple walk.

What do we do with our mind when we walk? When I am walking I stroll along the seawall during a work break and I observe how people walk. I often sigh, as their purpose is relaxation. However, what I observe is people walking with a very active mind. This is not relaxation, this is more of the same – worry, stress, or storytelling.

How do we relax when we walk and get a true break? How do we have a partnership with our mind that fuels us rather than depletes us?

This is what I do. Let’s say I’m going for an 1 ½ hour dog walk. I decide to do a meditation walk for part of it. Usually at the beginning and then it can influence the rest of my walk. A meditation walk means I take my mind “because I am more than the mind” and I focus on my five senses. First, I focus on touch and the feeling of my feet on the ground.  Then, I focus on sight and I drink in the colours and shapes around me.  Next, I focus on smell and I breathe in the freshness and smells of the woods.  Then I pay attention to taste as I drink from my water bottle, slowly, tasting the water from a place of being fully present.  This is mindfulness. I place my attention on being present. That creates a quiet mind. If my focus wanders, I re-correct and I reconnect to my five senses.

I often do a meditation walk for about 20 minutes and then enjoy the rest of my walk.

Remember: What you focus on expands.