All right, so today we're gonna be doing a deep dive
into mindful walking.
Oh, cool.
We've got three really interesting sources
that we're gonna be looking at.
Okay.
The first one is Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen Buddhist monk.
Right.
And his book is called How to Walk.
So we're gonna start there
and then we're gonna move on to Walking,
an essay by Henry David Thoreau.
Oh yeah, I love Thoreau.
And then finally we're gonna be looking at the work
of Professor Shane Omara.
Interesting.
Yeah, who kind of brings a neuroscientific perspective
to walking.
So it should be interesting to see how all of these connect.
Yeah, I'm really curious about this one actually.
Me too.
Okay, so Thich Nhat Hanh.
His book, it's really all about like
turning every step that you take
into a mindful experience.
And he talks about how walking on the earth is a miracle.
Right.
Something we often forget in our busy lives.
Yeah, it's easy to take it for granted.
Yeah.
It really is.
And he really challenges us to see it as like a gift,
an opportunity to be fully present in our bodies
and connected to the earth.
Like each step is a chance to arrive.
Yes, in the present moment.
In the here and now.
Yes, I love that idea of arriving.
Yeah.
He even suggests like walking for those who can't.
Oh wow.
As a way of connecting to a larger community and purpose.
Oh, that's beautiful.
Yeah.
That really resonates with his emphasis
on interconnectedness.
Yes.
It's not just about our individual experience.
It's about recognizing our shared humanity.
Yeah.
And every step can become an act of compassion.
Yeah, that's really powerful.
Yeah.
He also talks about the importance of walking in silence.
Okay.
Like without distractions to deepen the experience.
And he calls it touching peace.
Touching peace.
Yeah.
That's interesting, which really struck me.
Yeah.
What are your thoughts on that?
I mean, it's such a beautiful image, right?
It suggests this sense of harmony within ourselves,
but also with the world around us.
Right, and by walking mindfully,
we cultivate that peace,
and we kind of leave a positive imprint
on the earth with every step.
I love that, okay.
So let's shift gears a little bit.
Okay.
And travel back to the 19th century.
Okay.
With Henry David Thoreau.
Right.
His essay, Walking, really dives into this concept
of wildness.
Right.
It's so important for us as humans.
He famously said,
in wildness is the preservation of the world.
Yes, a very famous quote.
Yeah.
Thoreau's ideas really resonate
with Han's appreciation for nature.
I think he urges us to go beyond those manicured landscapes
and experience the power of forests and swamps.
Yes.
Those places that kind of connect us
to something deeper, more primal within ourselves.
Yes.
I get the sense that he sees walking
as this act of rebellion.
Okay.
Like against the constraints of society.
Interesting.
It's about reclaiming our wildness.
Yeah, absolutely.
I think there's this real sense of freedom
and exploration in his writing.
You know, he talks about discovering
absolutely new prospects,
even in familiar places.
I love that.
It's like he's encouraging us to approach life
and walking with this sense of curiosity and wonder.
Yes.
I love that.
Just to really see what's out there.
Yeah, and he even finds meaning
in those abandoned paths.
Right.
The ones that no one uses anymore.
The ones that are less traveled.
Yes, exactly.
I love that.
It makes you think, you know,
are you sticking to well-worn paths?
Right.
Even if they don't feel right.
Yeah.
Thoreau might suggest that veering off
could lead to some amazing discoveries.
Totally, I love that.
Yeah.
He also links that American urge to move westward.
Okay.
With a basic human instinct to explore the unknown.
Right.
You know?
Yeah, it's like this outward journey.
Yes.
Into the world, but also this inward journey.
Yes.
You know, into ourselves.
Totally.
Okay.
So we've explored these philosophical
and spiritual perspectives on walking.
Right.
But what's actually happening in our brains and bodies.
Yeah, good question.
When we walk.
Right.
And I think Professor Shane O'Mara's research
gets really interesting.
Okay.
He describes walking as an overlooked human superpower.
A superpower.
Yeah.
Interesting.
And he approaches it from this really fascinating
neuroscientific perspective.
Okay, so he's bringing together like evolutionary biology.
Yes.
Neuroscience.
Yes.
Even urban planning.
Yeah.
To show how walking benefits us.
Yeah.
On so many levels.
On so many levels, okay.
Right.
So we'll get into that after the break.
Sounds good.
It feels like we need to shift our thinking about walking.
Yeah.
It's not just about hitting, you know,
10,000 steps on our fitness trackers.
Right.
It's about approaching it with this intention
and this awareness.
Absolutely.
Almost like a form of meditation,
like what Fitch Not Hen was talking about.
You know, remember Han's idea
of bringing 100% of ourselves to each step.
Yes.
Feeling that connection with the earth.
Mm-hmm.
Being fully present in that moment.
Yes.
That's a powerful practice.
Yes.
It can transform even a simple walk
into something much deeper.
It's funny, you know,
I actually find that walking
helps me to think more clearly.
Okay.
Whenever I'm feeling stuck on a problem,
a good walk often helps me to, you know,
come up with a solution.
Yeah.
Have you ever noticed that?
It's not just anecdotal.
Right.
There's actually research to support that.
Oh wow.
Yeah.
Omara found that people who walk
before tackling a creative task.
Okay.
Can generate twice as many ideas
compared to those who don't.
Really?
So walking can actually boost creativity.
That's what the research suggests.
Wow.
Yeah, it seems that walking helps
to stimulate blood flow to the brain.
Okay.
Which might explain why it enhances cognitive function.
Interesting.
Omara even found that older adults
who walked before a creative task.
Okay.
Outperformed sedentary younger adults.
That's amazing.
It's like walking is this cognitive superpower
that we all have access to.
I love that way of putting it.
Yeah.
And it really speaks to Thoreau's idea
of walking as exploration.
Yes.
Not just exploring the physical world,
but also the landscapes of our own minds.
Yeah.
He challenges us to step off the beaten path.
Yeah.
Embrace the unknown.
Yeah.
And see where it leads us.
I'm curious, do you find that walking
helps you to think more creatively?
Yeah, sometimes.
Yeah.
Or to process emotions or just feel more grounded.
Yeah, totally.
You know, thinking back to those
hunter-gatherer societies.
Yeah.
It makes you wonder if our sedentary lifestyles.
Right.
Are actually messing with our brain chemistry.
That's a really interesting thought.
Yeah.
Omara even compares the modern Western diet.
Okay.
Which is full of processed foods.
Right.
To the diets used in lab experiments.
Yeah.
To induce obesity and disease in animals.
Yeah, it's a pretty stark reminder.
Yeah.
Of how our food choices impact our health.
And it makes the Hadza's diet and lifestyle
seem even more remarkable.
Yeah.
They're not counting calories.
Yeah.
We're excessively exercising.
Yeah.
But they're constantly moving.
Right.
Eating whole unprocessed foods.
And as a result, they have incredibly
low rates of chronic disease.
It's almost like we've created this artificial environment.
Yeah.
That's completely at odds.
Yeah.
With how our bodies and brains are designed to function.
That's a really insightful way to put it.
Yeah.
Our bodies evolve to move.
Right.
To be in nature.
Yeah.
To eat whole foods.
Yeah.
And when we stray too far from that.
Yeah.
It can have a real impact on our well-being.
Yes.
Think about it this way.
Okay.
We're not just neglecting our bodies
when we don't walk enough.
Right.
We might be neglecting our minds as well.
So how do we get back to that?
Roll.
How do we integrate more walking, more mindfulness,
more of that wildness that Thurow talks about.
Right.
Into our modern lives.
Well, I think it starts with awareness.
Recognizing that walking isn't just about physical health.
It's about nurturing our minds.
Yeah.
Connecting with nature.
Right.
Finding moments of peace and presence.
Yes.
In our busy lives.
Han's idea of walking for those who can't
really resonates with me.
Yeah.
It's a beautiful way to bring a sense of compassion
and purpose to our walks.
Absolutely.
And remember, Omar's emphasis.
Yes.
On creating walkable cities.
Yes.
It's not just about individual effort.
Right.
It's about advocating for environments
that make walking safe, easy, and enjoyable.
Yes.
For everyone.
Right.
It's about creating spaces where walking
is the natural choice, not the exception.
Exactly.
Yeah, maybe we can all play a part in making that happen.
Yeah.
Whether it's supporting policies
that promote walkable neighborhoods.
Right.
Or simply choosing to walk more often ourselves.
Yeah.
It all adds up.
And don't forget the simple joy of exploration.
Yes.
Like Thurow, we can rediscover that sense of adventure.
Yeah.
And explore new neighborhoods.
I love that.
Take a different route, explore a new park,
get a little lost, and see what you find.
I love that it's about approaching walking
with a sense of curiosity and wonder.
Yes.
Rather than just seeing it as a chore,
we have to check off our to-do list.
Exactly.
And remember, walking is accessible to almost everyone.
That's true.
Regardless of age, fitness level, or income.
Yes.
You don't need any fancy equipment
or expensive gym memberships.
Right.
Just a comfortable pair of shoes
and a willingness to put one foot in front of the other.
So what do you say, are you ready to lace up those shoes
and rediscover the power of walking?
It's a simple act with profound implications.
Yes.
And as we've seen, it's an activity that's been valued
and celebrated for centuries.
From ancient wisdom traditions to modern neuroscience.
And maybe, just maybe by embracing walking,
we can unlock not only a healthier body,
but also a more peaceful mind.
Yeah.
And a deeper connection to the world around us.
It's possible.
Yeah.
I think it's amazing to think about how
something so simple like walking
can have such a huge impact on our lives.
I know I'm feeling inspired to get out there and explore.
Maybe too.
A little more, you know what's fascinating
is how all three of these perspectives,
despite coming from these completely different backgrounds,
ultimately point to the same conclusion,
walking is essential for our wellbeing.
It's like the superpower that we've all forgotten about.
Right.
And the part is, it's available to all of us.
Yes.
It doesn't matter who you are, where you live,
how busy your life is,
you could always make time for a walk.
And that's a really powerful message, you know?
It is.
That something so simple can be so transformative.
Totally.
We don't need any fancy equipment
or expensive gym memberships.
Exactly.
Or complicated routines or anything.
Yeah.
Just gotta put one foot in front of the other.
Yeah.
And see where the path takes us.
See where it takes you.
Maybe that's the real beauty of walking.
Yeah.
It can be adapted to fit anyone's needs, you know?
We can walk alone in silence, like Fitchnut-Han suggests.
Right.
Or we can walk with friends, you know?
Yeah, enjoy that social connection.
Enjoy that social connection.
We can walk in nature, surrounded by all the beauty.
Or we can walk in our neighborhoods
observing the rhythms of urban life.
Exactly.
And we can even incorporate elements
of Thoreau's wildness into our walks.
Oh yeah, for sure.
You know, seeking out hidden paths,
exploring new neighborhoods.
That's a good idea.
Just allowing ourselves to wander
without a fixed destination.
Yeah.
It's about bringing that sense of adventure
and curiosity to every step.
I like that a lot.
So as we wrap up our deep dive into mindful walking,
what are some final thoughts
you wanna leave with our listeners?
Well, I think the most important thing
is to just start walking.
Okay.
Make it a regular part of your life.
And just experience the power of this ancient
and essential human activity.
Yeah.
Pay attention to how it makes you feel.
Yeah.
Both physically and mentally.
Right.
Embrace the joy of movement.
Yes.
The peace of nature and that simple pleasure
of putting one foot in front of the other.
Beautifully said.
And I think it's a good reminder
that sometimes the simplest things in life
are the most powerful.
I agree.
Walking is a practice that's been valued for centuries.
And for good reason.
It connects us to ourselves, to our communities,
and to the natural world.
Yeah.
So go ahead, lace up those shoes,
step outside, and rediscover the magic of walking.
Awesome advice.