When going out for a walk, our minds can race, or swirl into various negative patterns.

Our bodies love going for walks, and they quite happily troddle along, but if we carry negative thoughts in our mind, that negative energy can flow into the rest of the body, thus creating unwanted negative energy in the shoulders or elsewhere.

Tip 1 – Look

When walking admire your surroundings.

To keep the mind in check, look at all the flowers or plants around you.

Simply acknowledge the beauty around you, and say in your mind:

• “what a lovely plant”
• “the dark green of that Ivey is lovely”
• “the deep brown of the tree trunks provide such a grounding experience”

Tip 2 – Smell

When walking around, often the textural qualities of the air changes.

Woodlands often smell quite different from grassy planes, as is also the case when walking along the beach.

Try noticing the following:

• How heavy or light is the air your breathing in?
• Does the air fill your lungs?
• Can you smell any of the plants as you go by them?
• Does the air feel rejuvenating?

Tip 3 – Touch

Touch is a direct connection with the physical body, and thus our energy bodies also.

Connecting with plant life, rocks and everything in our environment, connects us with it’s energy.

When out for a walk, remember that you are a positive energy, just like the plant life is a positive energy. Both you and the environment benefit from each other, thus connecting is great.

Think of it similar to two kindred spirits meeting at a festival.

Try practising the following:

• Walk bare foot through some grass, sand, pebbles or wherever is comfortable. Ideally outside, but inside can work too.
• How do the plants feel, as you go by then on a walk?
• Are there any particular plants you are attacked to? Perhaps they are calling out to you? See what energy they have, what do you have in common with that plant? Maybe that day, your energies are the same?

Tip 4 – Listen

Rarely does life sit still. Listen to everything around you, even if it is seemingly motionless, there is always life around us. Sometimes silence itself can be deafening!

Give this a go:

• Listen to the birds around you.
• What sound are you feet making as you walk.
• How does your feet sound when you walk slightly fast or slower.
• How does the feeling of your feet connect with the material below your feet? How does that in turn sound?

Tip 5 – Eat!

Bring some first class healthy and tasty schnacks!

Blissfully indulge in one of the most human activities of all… munching.

Have a go at the following:

• How textural is the food that you are eating?
• What tastebuds are igniting as you eat, what layers of flavour are being uncovered?
• Do things taste better, when you slow the eating right down?
• Why not thank the stars for the wonderful human experience of eating!

For more information on my take on Buddha please see this page.