MINDFULNESS WHEN GOING ON A WALK. HOW TO DO IT?

Use walks with your dog not only to stretch your body, but also to relax your head. Mindfulness, i.e. alert attention, helps fight stress and promotes well-being and health. You don't need to sit on a meditation cushion and fumigate your living room with white sage to immerse yourself in this technique. It is enough to simply pay attention to it during normal activities - for example, when going for a walk.

1. Put the phone down

We all know how a smartphone can distort the perception of reality and drain time. Still, we won't forgive ourselves for checking Instagram, for replying to an irrelevant message. Use time with your dog as an opportunity to a short digital detox . Let your phone rest deep in your pocket or on a shelf at home and focus only on your partner and your surroundings.

2. Sniffing for peace

Get inspired by your pet's strongest sense and put it on your nose. First several times take a deep breath . With each exhalation, send away some worry, some stress or unpleasant feeling. As you inhale, feel the fresh air flowing into your body. Then focus on smell. Does the landscape you pass smell? Can you smell fallen leaves or approaching rain? Try to air all the information that the air brings you.

3. In one rhythm

Listen to your own steps. And then focus on your dog's four paws. Try it discover the rhythm in which you walk together. Be aware of the terrain you are walking on. How the pavement differs from the grass, how you break into freshly fallen snow or how water splashes under your feet.

4. Let yourself be guided

Get off the beaten track and let your dog guide you. Note the places he stops, the directions he looks, and the shortcuts he takes. In short, take the dog trail and try to perceive her with the dog's senses this time.

5. Scan the body

try to realize what is happening in your body right now . Do you feel completely relaxed, or are you bound by pressure somewhere? What is your mood today and where does it come from? Imagine a tiny controller running through your limbs, torso, and head, keeping a close eye on what's new and different that day. You can scan your body at the beginning and at the end of your walk to better understand the change that a walk with your canine companion has brought to you.