Mindful Meditation
DESCRIPTION
Walk, jog or run with mental focus.
INSTRUCTIONS
It is easy to turn to walking, running, rowing, swimming, and floating into a form of mental focus or meditation -- just pick a mantra that fits the cadence of your movement. A mantra can be anything from thinking or saying "one... two... one... two", "peace... calm... peace... calm", "Shalom.... shalom" to repeating words from the Lord's Prayer. If you prefer, focus on your breath or your internal experience of the activity instead of choosing a mantra -- feel each pebble that your foot lands on, focus on the sensation of the air blowing against your face, and observe how your stomach goes in and out as you breathe.
RELATED IDEAS
Use an exercise bike for "cyclotherapy" -- a wide range of sports can be safely done in a meditative manner.
Designate the fifth hole of your golf game as a meditative break -- no talking or eye contact from the last person's final putt on the fourth hole until after the first person tees off on the sixth hole.
JOY'S JOURNEY
I have always loved the water, and have swum laps for fitness and relaxation since early high school. Even though it was sometimes challenging to find the time, I continued to swim during medical school, internship and residency. As many people know, those years are traditionally challenging and stressful. For me, they bordered on the unbelievable because they also included living over one hundred miles away from my husband, my parent's bitter divorce, the death of a close friend (ovarian cancer), acquaintance rape and the subsequent criminal prosecution and court trial, my sister's battle with cancer, and several serious illnesses among my family members, including my husband's ruptured appendix.
It was during medical school that I became obsessed with counting my swim laps. Not surprising, since people with my personality type tend to become obsessed with detail when stressed. I wanted to do exactly a mile, not a few laps more nor a few laps less. In order to keep accurate count, I started repeating the lap number over and over again in my head as I swam. "One, one, one, one, one," turn at the wall and push off, "two, two, two, two..." and so on. If my mind started to wander to my "due today" list or relationship problems, I'd lose count and get angry with myself, so I quickly learned to dismiss other thoughts when they came into my mind.
I always thought it was the endorphins that made me feel so good after swimming, but now I realize I was also doing a form of meditation -- silently repeating a word or phrase, nonjudgmentally dismissing any other intrusive thoughts. I didn't plan out my day or think through my problems, yet many times I'd come out of the pool with those things accomplished. Looking back, I now understand how I survived that stressful year of internship.
QUOTES
Today I have grown taller from walking with the trees.
Karl Baker
Jogging is very beneficial. It's good for your legs and your feet.
It's also very good for the ground. If makes it feel needed.
Charles Schulz
Never let your feet run faster than your shoes.
Scottish Proverb
Dr. Joy is available to present playful workshops (playshops) at your corporate training retreat, non profit organization gathering, or club membership meetings. She is located in Denver, Colorado, and travels throughout the US to deliver Serious Fun ™ Programs for personal growth, wellness, and inspiration. Please see the program pages for details and contact information.
This playful meditation activity is COPYRIGHTED. If you are a professional trainer, coach, human resources person, counselor, or therapist it is not ethical nor legal for you to use it or share it with your clients or those you supervise/train as part of your job. See the copyright notice on the front page of this e-book. Remember, character is what you do when no one is looking. Please take the high road, and pay me appropriately to use these materials professionally, even if you work for a church, school, non-profit or the government.
© Copyright 1999-2008 by Joy Koenig. All Rights Reserved.
Click below to get the navigation buttons:
Ice Cream for the Soul Home Page
Shared Paths Home Page
