FAST OR SLOW

 

FAST OR SLOW
A fellow practitioner and I were talking about indoor walking and she commented on how different it was from outdoor walking , in particular that outdoor walking meant a faster pace, and seemed to her to offer less benefit for awareness.
In some respects this can be true. What I have found from my own working with speed-walking is, if you have developed a capacity for contemplative walking at the slower indoor paces, and have good stability to your attention, then you can bring that even to speed-walking. The only caution I can add is that to turn fast walking into contemplative walking, you need to ensure minimal distraction on the path. This means a route free of traffic, intersections or decision-making. You need to be able to walk from start to finish without significant distraction. Its worth a try, and can be inserted for 10-15 minutes in a slower or more complex walk.

Don’t forget the next KAPPS walk on Sunday November 23rd. This will be a lovely hike down to Calabogie with brekkies at Polly’s in Calabogie. For details, see http://www.padakun.com/this-months-kapps-walk/ 

We would be remiss if we did not extend our best wishes to our friends in the world-family of Vietnamese monk, Thich Nhat Hahn. The 88 year old “Thay” is presently in hospital and stable. He has been a huge influence on walkers everywhere and was one of the main proponents of the kind of mindful walking we share with him. He is our standard quote source below and I know the Earth is holding him in a loving embrace today.

Yours , on the journey,                           
Ray
Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet
Thich Nhat Hahn