Meditation For A Visual Bilateral Woods Walk
- Oct 17, 2022
- 2 min read
We all know that exercise is beneficial for our physical health and toning our physiques but not as many people are aware of the mental health benefits that come along with movement practices.
Even by increasing the activity we have in the day, we can see significant shifts in sleep, which will in turn roll into aspects of focus, mood, motivation, and overall well-being.
Clients of mine may have heard me speak about how walking is a form of bilateral stimulation similar to what we do when we are having an EMDR processing session.
Francine Shapiro actually began formulating her theory that birthed EMDR while on a walk herself.
The following is a brief meditative practice to experiment with the bilateral stimulation of walking if you feel called to explore it yourself.
Here is a simple meditation to practice before and during a walk in the woods:
Before the stroll, visualize your current conflict or challenge.
On a scale from 1 to 5 (five being the highest), how happy are you right now?
During your walk, keep your head up. Allow the sunlight to flicker and bounce off your eyes. Observe how the light streams through the trees. Feel the rhythm of your feet walking. Stay aware of this motion.
Return to your conflict. Sit with it. Feel where the emotion impacts your body.
Continue walking. Alternate between observing the sunlight and rhythm of your feet, and feeling the conflict.
Once you emerge from your walk — notice if there has been a shift in your emotional well-being. What subtle changes do you feel within your body, and where? On a scale from 1 to 5, where do you gauge your level of momentary happiness? What has transpired from before the walk to now?
Let me know if you end up trying the meditation! I’d love to hear from you!
Yours in wellness & healing,
Angela
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