| Resources Walking and Spiritual Health
A walk puts physical distance between us and our troubles. A walk helps to clear our
minds of some of the everyday debris and for a few precious moments the beauty and
wonder of God's world can filter through anew. The smell of freshly mowed grass, a
bird's song, the warmth of the sun, a cloud formation, a smile to a passerby, all
contribute to calming our minds, our bodies, our spirits.
Prayer walking is an ancient form of meditation and is regaining its place today
because it is holistic, involving mind, body and spirit. A prayer walk should include
time at the beginning to help focus and at the end to reflect. The walk can be one of
thanksgiving, thanking God for all the blessings in your life. The walk can be one of
repetitive prayer, perhaps repeating a verse of Scripture which has special meaning.
The walk can be to present a situation and, for the moment, freed of life's incessant
intrusions, seek and receive guidance.
How to Get Started!
It's not much more than tying up your sneakers and going! You should
-
Wear loose comfortable clothing
-
Carry
a bottle of water and drink it as you walk
-
Start
with a short walk, 5 to ten minutes at an easy
pace.
And the good
news is: even if we never go beyond the 5 to ten minutes,
we will still have improved our physical, mental and spiritual health immensely!!
But beware: walking is so beneficial that once you commit to the 5 to ten minutes
a day, you will actually want to increase this time because you will be feeling so
much better - more energetic less stressed by life's little aggravations, more
in control, calmer, more peaceful. Thirty minutes a day is considered the ideal
length of time to 'make me healthy/keep me healthy'. But you really can't overdo it
and many people report that they started out walking only ten minutes a day but kept
adding minutes until they were up to an hour.
Other little helps
-
Take the stairs at least one flight up or two down
- Avoid
escalators
- Get off the bus a couple of stops earlier
- Park at
the far end of the mall or church lot or a block
from your destination
From "Well Aware", a newsletter
of the United Church of Canada. Reprinted with permission.
 
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