Walk...Light & Easy

by Savvy
(India)

Every once in a while I walk at the local park. I have been witness to the gait and posture of so many patrons of the park, some regulars, some occasional entrants or whom I call mood walkers.
In the course of time I have been witness to a variety of walking personalities. I would say that most people walk with a purpose and their gait shows the keenness to be fit. But age and gender considerations apart I have seen a common gait adopted by most of them. There is certain heaviness in their walk. It is as if the stress inside is imploring them to push themselves ,faces constrained, arms hung, legs heavy almost stomping up a march on the ground accompanied at times by a vacant , grim expression almost lost as if left without a hint of smile in their hearts.
I do believe that life is about great many things to be achieved and done, most of all it’s about living light and easy. Let your walk flow from pace to pace, strengthen it with fluidity in your movements, intention and purpose. Make your presence feel easy on others. Ease up your walk and grace up your life. Walk fast or slow with lightness in your stride.
Feel your inner light and help lighten your outside world. Just take care not to transfer your negative emotions on to the people around you. Instead let yourself be connected to the earth being a medium of energy. Whenever u realise there is a tendency of heaviness anywhere in the body, usually the shoulders or in the legs, you will notice that your gait is affected. Simple exercise in awareness is to keep sensing the ground you are walking and realise that it is taking your bodyweight. Be thankful to nature for being there beneath you as a firm and supportive ground for you to walk and feel the air around you that you breathe in to live and sense the beating heart and walking feet that carry you as you go. Feel the moment, straighten the slump of the shoulder and open your heart and life by regaining your natural posture so that the sight of you becomes an inspiration to someone else. It’s simple genuine attempt to be at ease by replacing and, transforming your strained patterns of movements with grace. Rest assured if you allow yourself to come this far into positive space your light is shining through as beacon to others much in need.
Anyone can improve upon their posture in a matter of minutes
A few simple tips for a better and natural walking posture.
As you walk breathe and tighten your stomach inwards and gently feel your belly moving back towards your spine. Do not arch your back.
Let your shoulders be relaxed and down but slightly back and head held high, keeping the chin up and parallel to the ground. Make sure your head doesn’t bobble around too much as you walk as that would strain your neck and disturb your balance.
As you walk feel all the lower body muscles … i.e. the thighs, hips, legs working together. When you utilize all the muscles and sense it working you are less prone to overstraining any one muscle group and thus can avoid injuries or soreness.
Make sure you keep your toes pointed forward as you walk … as this will keep your gait stable and balanced. Let each foot land on its heel and spring to the next step from your toes.
Make sure you don’t have a clenched fist (it could elevate blood pressure) but just loose and partially closed curl. Keep your elbows close to the body.
Avoid pumping with your hands high up as you walk as it does not help propel you.
Keep looking forward 10 to 20 feet ahead and not down as you walk.
Finally maintaining a firm centre of gravity brings on a great walking posture.
Most importantly care to mindfully replace negative thought patterns as soon as you sense them with positive and happy thoughts and feel the lightness in your stride and in your life .
Have a healthy walk everyday !
Savvy