No Time for Mindfulness Practices? Try Mindful Walking.

Looking for the best ways to incorporate mindfulness into your superwoman's busy schedule? 

Simple walking when done mindfully can support the cultivation of mindfulness.Traditional walking meditations are done at a very slow pace. 

However, this meditation should be done at whatever pace the situation calls for, whether you are walking your dog, walking to your car, walking while shopping or even running to catch a plane or jogging.

As you are walking, become aware of your breath. Then bring your attention down to your feet. 

Feel your feet step onto the ground. Can you feel the heel touch the ground first, followed by the midsection of the foot, finally feeling the ball of the foot as it pushes off to take the next step? 

Become aware of the rest of your body. Is there any tightness, tension, pain? Are you relaxed? Can you feel your inner body, the aliveness inside? 

Are you noticing any sounds—traffic, voices and birds? Can you feel the breeze or wind on your face and skin? Does it feel soft or harsh? Feel the temperature in the air, the warmth, the heat or the cold on your skin.

Be aware of the things around you—trees, buildings, people, cars, bicycles. Notice any smells—scents from flowers, tree blossoms, or foods from restaurants, exhaust from the cars that pass by.

If you become lost in thoughts, the moment you notice it, just return your attention to the movement of your body, your breathing and the various sense perceptions. 

You may have walked this area a thousand times but never truly noticed what is there because you have not been fully present. Now, your walk becomes an opportunity to awaken into the present moment.