Bring greater awareness with a change of pace
It often seems as though life feels to be getting faster and faster - it's relentless with no slowing down. You may feel that the only chance you get to change the pace and take it a little easier is when on holiday or on a lazy Sunday morning.
Here's an exercise to help you change the pace regardless of the time of year, or day of the week.
For 'slow walk', all you're going to do initially is to walk at a slower pace than what you normally walk at.
A simple way to instantly pay attention to, and to be more mindful of, whatever it is you are doing, is to change the pace of how you are doing the activity. By slowing down, in this case walking more slowly, you instantly change the habitual automatic way of doing the activity with the unfamiliar pace.
The activity suddenly becomes a little less familiar, perhaps even a little uncomfortable, and this makes you naturally pay more attention to it.
Mindful Walking
Bring attention to your walking movements
Observing yourself while walking slowly can be very interesting.
Some things to notice while walking:
— notice the actual moment when your heel first makes contact with the ground.
— can you 'follow' as the rest of your foot also makes contact with the ground?
— how do your feet actually feel? warm, cool, tingly etc.
— how does the rest of your body feel now you are walking slowly? Is there an urge to quicken
the pace? Does if feel as though it's just too slow?
— do you feel slightly self-conscious of the fact that you are moving slowly?
— do you feel that you are moving slower than everyone else? If so, don't worry about this - people are so busy and wrapped up in their own life that they are not going to give much thought and attention to someone walking a little slower than they.
Once you get past the initial discomfort and unfamiliarity, you may find that you slowly start and taking in more details of your surroundings.
It is best if you allow your arms to fall and swing naturally at your sides.
“Try at home in bare feet and enhance your awareness.”
This activity is probably easier to carry out at the end of the day, rather than earlier. Trying to slow walk on the way to work or school may seem frustrating, as a strong urge can arise that you have to get to your destination. Having said that, a lot of students are able to slow walk completely naturally on their journey to school.