“Where do you look when you’re out for a walk?”

My first Alexander teacher, Celeste, asked me this question in one of my early lessons.

“Do you look down at the ground or out at your surroundings?”

I was sure I looked out when I walked. But then I spent the next week paying close attention.

I was completely wrong.

I don’t do sitting meditation. I’ve tried. It just isn’t for me. Probably because my body likes to move and I find the most peace when I’m outside in nature. My form of meditation takes place during my walks. It’s my place to practice being truly present in mind and body.

The practice of being in the present moment isn’t easy. Your mind wants to derail you at every opportunity.

I just thought of one more thing to add to my to-do list—must remember.

I need to plan for tonight’s dinner. What are we going to have?

I think I might’ve offended Mary yesterday when I saw her at the store. Maybe I should have stayed longer to chat with her.

How am I going to get all the things done I need and want to do today?

What am I doing with my life?

And on and on.

The best strategy I’ve got to keep myself in the present moment is to pay close attention to where I’m looking as I walk. If I look out and take in my surroundings, it’s much easier to be in the moment. As soon as I look down, my mind starts to derail me.

The bonus is that when you look out, your head tends to be more on the top of your spine, where it belongs, and you can enjoy the support of your whole body underneath.

Remember that your head follows your eyes and your body follows your head. Look down, and your head will follow. When your head is forward of your body, its weight starts to put strain on your neck and upper back.

If you want to do some sort of walking meditation and feel the benefit of being present, keep it simple and make your number one goal to pay attention to where you’re looking.

There’s a saying in English, “stop to smell the roses”. It basically means to slow down, relax, and enjoy the present moment. But you have to see the roses first before you can stop to smell them. So look out when you walk, let your head rest easily on top of your spine, and I just bet you’ll see more of the roses.

Do you practice some form of meditation or the practice of being present? What works best for you? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.

Image by Angela Huang from Pixabay

P.S. If you enjoy the content of this blog you’ll love my recently published book, What Your Body Wants You to Know: Exploring Body Awareness, Posture, and Movement with the Alexander Technique.