What could possibly be spiritual about exercise? Well, it’s all part of taking good care of me. I hated exercise. Even though I had lost over 100 lbs in 1993, exercise wasn’t part of that regiment – I lost it by eating less. A medical problem about eight years ago resulted in a weight gain, so in addition to changing my eating, I also was encouraged to move my body. I did so, kicking and screaming.
I remember one evening, walking and whining on the phone to a dear friend. She asked me if my negative attitude may exacerbate the dislike of exercise. Her question initiated some thought. Could I change how I looked at exercise to make it more palatable? What did I have to lose?
Someone then told me about walking meditation. Wow, meditate while walking? What a concept. I have trouble sitting still, so the idea of walking and meditating appealed to me. There are many suggestions on how to do this and I found one that worked for me!
To clear my mind, I breathe in while thinking, “Breathe in God”. When exhaling, I say, “Breathe out self.” A rhythm starts and soon my head clears. I am blessed to live in a wooded area, so there are lots to see while walking. I try to look ‘into ‘the wooded area, between the trees to what lies beyond. Sometimes I’m lucky enough to see a deer! My mind becomes calm and quiet. If random thoughts begin to clutter my mind, I once again repeat my little mantra and adjust my steps to the cadence of the words, saying them slowly and deliberately.
Breathe in God.
Breathe out self.
Here are some websites that address walking meditation:
http://www.meditateclass.com/walking/index.html
http://1stholistic.com/meditation/hol_meditation_walking_meditation.htm
http://www.contemplativemind.org/practices/subnav/walking.htm
