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How a weekly mindfulness walk begins.

October 21, 2016October 3, 2017 By fmw

We start right on time. Walkers circle up for two minutes to be reminded of what we’re doing.

We only have three things to do: breathe, walk, and observe.

Take a deep breath, and pay attention to it. When you take a deep breath and think about it, it’s like it connects your brain back into your body. You start functioning as a whole person.

Walk, one foot in front of the other. Head up, shoulders back. Look up, not down at your feet. When you look down at your feet as you walk, your mind starts rehashing your past or stressing out about your future. We’re not doing that right now. Stay present in the moment, right here in this neighborhood.

Observe the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings of these neighborhoods. It takes intention, especially to notice sounds, smells, and feelings.

We don’t talk to each other, as a way to respect that each of us is having thoughts about what we observe. This is often a challenge for first time walkers. The natural instinct is to have a thought and then express it out loud. Hold your thoughts. Respect that everyone is having thoughts about what we are experiencing. We will share thoughts at the end of the walk.

We talk to people we encounter. We greet people, whether briefly or in a short conversation. We often learn so much in just a brief conversation with someone who is in the neighborhood.

There is a route planned, usually about 4 miles. But we are travelers, and we often stop and linger, or go around another way. I take pictures with my iPhone, but I’m disconnected from technology.

Every walk starts and ends with this: These are our brothers and sisters in Fresno, and our lives and futures are tied together.

When we end the walk, we gather for 5 to 10 minutes to talk about our observations. I bring my iPad and type a Walk Reflection from what the walkers share.

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  Reflection Walk #45, Yr 2, Piccadilly Inn Shaw and Lion’s Park, 10/15/16
Reflection Walk #46, Yr 2 from Clovis North High School 10/22/16  

2 thoughts on “How a weekly mindfulness walk begins.”

  • Anita Garza October 21, 2016 at 12:57 pm Reply

    Can someone please contact me. I am interested in learning more and possibly joining a walk..

    • fmw December 28, 2016 at 2:57 pm Reply

      Hello Anita, Would love to have you join a walk any time. To learn about upcoming walks, please add your email address to the top of the home page to receive a weekly walk notification email. Also, you can follow Fresno Mindfulness walks Facebook page. I post the walk meeting location, route, and exact time just a few days before the walk. Walks are Saturday mornings, usually around 8 a.m. (depending on the weather). Lori

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Group walks are currently on hold – but don’t let that stop you from exploring your city!

Please use this Fresno Mindfulnessw Walks website as a resource to inspire and guide you on your own journey of walking mindfully!  Enjoy!
Lori Clanton

How FMW works —

Fresno Mindfulness Walks are weekly opportunities for people to walk together for a 4 mile route through a different Fresno neighborhood each week. Walkers practice active mindfulness by attending to the sights, sounds, smells, feelings.  Walkers do not talk to each other on walks, but we do greet people we meet along the way.  The walk location and exact start time are posted just a few days in advance. All walks are free, require no RSVP, and anyone is welcome to join one walk or many. To learn about upcoming walks, you can sign up for a weekly email in the yellow bar at the top of this website and/or LIKE and follow the FMW Facebook page.

 

To learn about the routine that begins each walk and read some of the resources that have inspired FMW, check out the resources page.

 

Weekly walks are about 4 miles and take about an hour and a half. Walks are at a medium pace, often on uneven ground, and sometimes take longer than expected because walkers see themselves as curious travelers lingering to observe or going around a different way.

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Recent Comments

  • fmw:

    DK, thanks for sharing this! I enjoy following you
  • fmw:

    Hi Cherie, I would describe the pace as 'medium', but walkers
  • Delaine Zody:

    Seeing other parts of your community is vital to understanding
  • Cherie:

    Would love the opportunity to do mindful walking with this
  • fmw:

    Would love to have you join a walk any time.

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