12 minute read
MINDFUL WALKING
Mindful Walking Meditative Steps for Well-Being
by Marlaina Donato
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The health benefits of walking, such as stress reduction, improved joint mobility, lower blood pressure and increased oxygen, are well known, but walking or hiking with a meditative focus offers some other unexpected perks. Mindful walking that fosters focus on each step can combat depression, anxiety and unhealthy food cravings by boosting neurotransmitters. Studies from the University of Exeter, in England, reveal that chocolate cravings and consumption are reduced after just a 15-minute walk, and a German study found overweight people that walked briskly for 15 minutes had less desire for sugary snacks.
A 2016 study in Complementary Therapies in Medicinefound that meditative walking for 30minutes three times a week reduced arterial stiffness and the stress hormone cortisol in a 12-week period. Individuals with Type 2 diabetes also had healthier blood sugar levels. Further, the group that employed mindful walking exhibited significant improvement compared to the control group that engaged in regular, non-meditative walking.
Mindful Me-Time
Like seated meditation, meditative walking fosters mind-body awareness that can nourish the spirit. “Some of the world’s greatest artists, like Johann Sebastian Bach and William Blake, were well aware of this, and spent much time on long walks exploring their inner worlds,” says Reino Gevers, of Majorca, Spain. The author of Deep Walking for Body, Mind and Soul, he sees walking meditation as an invitation to tap into the bigger matrix of life. “Deep walking, also pilgrimage walking, is spending time alone in nature to walk off the things that are weighing heavy on your shoulders. These could be hurtful and traumatic events like the loss of a family member, divorce or financial loss. While practicing mindful walking, there is a reconnection to the natural rhythm of life.”
Meditative walking calms the amygdala, the portion of the brain that can become hyper-reactive from trauma and keep us in the loop of anxiety. Introduced to meditative walking by a spiritual teacher, Carolyn Sinclair, in Houston, found deep healing from depression after a devastating divorce. “Even though I knew tai chi, qigong and sitting meditation, I couldn’t lift my head off the pillow, couldn’t sleep and wasn’t eating,” says Sinclair, who relinquished all medications after six months of taking mindful steps. Today, she blogs at Walking-Meditation.com and attributes her capacity to feel joy and her improved emotional resilience to the practice. “We cannot stay in sitting meditation all day long, and life will always throw us a curve ball,” she says. “Walking meditation allows us to be in the world, but not attached to the chaos and drama. This form of meditation helps train the mind to reside in the present moment during our everyday activities.”
Resetting Body and Soul
Going for a mindful walk can cultivate sensory nuance, especially to changing angles of sunlight and the dance of turning seasons. Psychologist Hugh O’Donovan, in Cork, Ireland, the author of Mindful Walking: Walk Your Way to Mental and Physical Well-Being, says, “The body is a powerful instrument of connection. It appears too simple, but this is a necessary aspect of mindful walking for the beginner right through to the more experienced practitioner. It is in this slowing down that you begin to notice.” In 2015, he traversed the entire length of his native country and was reminded, he says, that “In this mindful walking space, the world can come alive at every sensory level. You can see the colors, the textures, the contrasts, the shade, the magic.”
Gevers concurs, “There is a major difference in just walking for exercise and deep walking. When you do mindful walking, you open your senses to the world around you. What do you smell, hear and feel?”
Buddha Steps
Mindful walking begins with communing with each step, heel-totoe, on Mother Earth. “The beauty of walking meditation is that once it becomes a habit, we can bring it everywhere, naturally,” emphasizes Sinclair.
O’Donovan, whose mantra is, “Show up, slow down and notice”, inspires us all when he says, “You might think, ‘I’ve seen grass a million times; I know grass,’ but this limits the possibility to know in a deeper way. Grass is not just grass when you walk mindfully.”
Marlaina Donato is a composer and body-mind-spirit author. Connect at AutumnEmbersMusic.com.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1
The Happiness Toolkit Presented by
Katie Cavenagh – 11am-5pm. Enjoy short lessons/talks, group sharing and brainstorming, individual reflection, personalized solutions, guided meditations, and powerful healing. $149. Location: The Red Barn, 352 Main St, Durham. Email: Katie@FeelYourLight.com. Register at: Facebook.com/events/610048819625495.
MONDAY, AUGUST 3
Full Moon Meditation w/Gayle Franceschetti
– 6:30pm-8:30pm. Align w/new energies of this Super Full Moon. Opportunities for letting go of the old and allowing spiritual energies to reach human hearts and minds. $25. For questions please call 203-631-7803 or Return2love3@gmail.com. Return2Love.com.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 8
Young Living Essential Oils – 10am-11:30am. Help align your mind, body, spirit. Learn to take control of your health with therapeutic grade oils. Free class. 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford. 203-631-7803 or Return2Love3@gmail.com. Return2Love.com. ALS SUPPORT
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CHAPTER – Leading the fight to treat and cure ALS through research & advocacy while empowering people w/Lou Gehrig’s Disease and their families to live fuller lives w/compassionate care & support. 4 Oxford Road, Unit D4. Milford. 203-874-5050. WebCT.alsa.org. BOOKS
RECOGNIZE AND HEAL YOURSELF
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 14
Young Living Essential Oils – 6:30pm-8pm. Help align your mind, body, spirit. Learn to take control of your health with therapeutic grade oils. Free class. 36 Cheshire Rd, Wallingford. 203-631-7803 or Return2Love3@gmail.com. Return2Love.com.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19
Circle of Women – 7pm-9pm. Join in sacred space (temporarily on Zoom) to discover & strengthen your authentic self, listen and speak from the heart. Practice self-care and global compassion in these unprecedented times. Stay connected to self, spirit, others and earth rhythms. $25. Call Susan to reserve space/get coordinates. 203-645-1230. COUNSELING
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friday
Sunset Savasana: Flowing with Mother
Nature – 7:30pm. An all levels flow yoga class with the beautiful backdrop of the sun setting behind farms and vineyards. Please RSVP 2 hours prior to class. $15. Cash or Venmo accepted. Please RSVP a minimum of two hours before class time. Small and limited class sizes for ease and safety. Bring your own mat. All classes are outdoors only. Bathroom not available. Good Vibes Yoga Studio, 4 Cooke Rd, Wallingford. 203-824-1929. GoodVibesYogaStudioCT@gmail.com.
saturday
Sunset Savasana: Flowing with Mother
Nature – 7:30pm. An all levels flow yoga class with the beautiful backdrop of the sun setting behind farms and vineyards. Please RSVP 2 hours prior to class. $15. Cash or Venmo accepted. Please RSVP a minimum of two hours before class time. Small and limited class sizes for ease and safety. Bring your own mat. All classes are outdoors only. Bathroom not available. Good Vibes Yoga Studio, 4 Cooke Rd, Wallingford. 203-824-1929.
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HOUSES FOR SALE NOW! – Unique, friendly, cohousing community. New energy-efficient, green homes in a neighborhood with an organic farm. RockyCorner.org: Where conservation and community come together!
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HYPNOSIS THERAPY CENTER – There is a meaning behind every ailment and condition people have. It’s your body speaking to you. If you are tired of being sick and are ready to help yourself heal, then consider having a Discovery Session so you can learn the cause and ‘cure.’ Madison. 203-245-6927.
APPLIED KINESIOLOGY
KC CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS Kevin Healy, DC 17 Woodland Road, Madison, CT 203-245-9317 KevinHealy@sbcglobal.net DrHealMe.com
Applied Kinesiology is a neurological evaluation to find and treat dysfunction. Different because it addresses causes instead of chasing pains, Dr. Healy tests if a therapy alleviates dysfunction, finding immediate answers as to which provides the most improvement. Chiropractic, craniosacral, myofascial and acupressure are among the therapies Dr. Healy uses. Generally, no single cure exists as disease and dysfunction typically involve multiple areas of the body. The goal of any therapy—physical, chemical, or emotional—is to improve function; a combination of therapies typically yields the best results. See ad on page 11.
EDUCATION
CONNECTICUT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CENTER (CELC) MIDDLE SCHOOL 28 School Street, Branford, CT 203-433-4658 mandm@CTExperiential.org http://CTEXperiential.org
CT Experiential Learning Center (CELC) Middle School provides experientially-based education with a personalized approach to learning, designed to empower young people to thrive. Our students come from a variety of towns throughout Connecticut, from families looking for a program that engages and deepens learning, where their children can flourish during these important and impactful 5th - 8th grade years. See ad on page 15.
THE GRADUATE INSTITUTE (TGI) Accredited, Non-profit Graduate School offering holistic programs in contemporary & emerging fields 171 Amity Road, Bethany, CT 203-874-4252 Learn.edu
The Graduate Institute offers holistic master’s degrees and certificate programs for adult learners. Programs include Integrative Health and Healing, Ecotherapy and Cultural Sustainability, Writing and Oral Tradition, Organizational Leadership, and more. Programs are just one weekend a month. See ad on page 15. PET EUTHANASIA SERVICE
FINAL JOURNEY, LLC Kristen Klie, D.V.M. 203-645-5570 FinalJourneyLLC.com
Final Journey, LLC is an in-home euthanasia service for your animal companion that brings comfort and peace during a sensitive and challenging time. See ad on page 17.
PHYSICAL THERAPY
PHYSICAL THERAPY SERVICES OF GUILFORD 500 East Main Street, Suite 310, Branford, CT 203-315-7727 (Phone) 203-315-7757 (Fax) PhysicalTherapyGuilford.com
At Physical Therapy Services of Guilford, we specialize in manual therapy using hands-on techniques to help the body’s natural healing process. We also incorporate traditional programs and modalities to maximize health. 40-minute sessions are conducted one-on-one in private treatment rooms. See ad on page 8.
REIKI
SUSANE GRASSO, RMT Distance Reiki Available 203-500-6950
Stress is the plague of the 21st century and the cause of physical and emotional woes. Because of this, my sessions combine my ability to see auras with Reiki, Theta Healing, acupressure and Sound Vibrational Healing to provide deep relaxation and balance. “Tension out! Wellness in” is more than a phrase. For my clients it is a statement of fact. Distance Reiki sessions available. See ad on page 19. SALT HEALING THERAPY WELLNESS CENTER
REVIVE SALT THERAPY 374 New Haven Avenue Milford, CT 203-283-5968 Hello@ReviveSaltTherapy.com ReviveSaltTherapy.com
Gail Perrella, M.S. is a Holistic Nutritionist, creator and founder of Revive Salt Therapy & Wellness. Our mission is to educate, inspire, and empower our clients to create the health they deserve. Services offered include halotherapy, nutrition, detox, massage, reiki, salty (halotherapy) yoga, guided meditation, mindset coaching and wellness workshops. We also have a wellness retail shop where we offer professional supplements and high quality salt products. For more information visit ReviveSaltTherapy.com.
SALT OF THE EARTH THERAPEUTIC SPA 787 Main St, S Woodbury, CT 203-586-1172 NaturalSaltHealing.com
Combining an array of natural therapies that have been used since ancient times with today’s technology, Salt of the Earth Spa provides a sanctuary for deep transformations, healing and grounding for Mind, Body and Spirit.
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EAGLE FLIGHT HEALING, LLC Hamden, CT 203-535-8849 Info@EagleFlightHealing.com EagleFlightHealing.com
Eagle Flight Healing provides transformative energy work using shamanic methods, the guidance of a client’s higher consciousness and unseen guides. Clients experience a new perspective of self in addition to feeling more vitality, happiness and joy.
SUSTAINABLE NUTRITION CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
THE INSTITUTE OF SUSTAINABLE NUTRITION 113 Simsbury Road, West Granby, CT 860-764-9070 Joan@TIOSN.com TIOSN.com
We offer a unique certification program blending the science of nutrition with the hands-on components of sustainable gardening practices. We use food and herbs to make kitchen medicine, teach basic culinary skills, and practice foraging for and using nutrient-rich wild food. Now enrolling. See ad on page 6.
WHOLE BODY WELLNESS CBD MASSAGE
ELM CITY WELLNESS 774 Orange Street New Haven, CT 203-691-7653 ElmCityWellness.com
Elm City Wellness is an independent, woman-owned wellness center with a focus on community healing. Services include a variety of skilled massage, CBD massage, community and private acupuncture, Reiki, craniosacral therapy and organic skin care, including signature, microderm and high frequency facials. Skilled therapists specifically tailor each and every session. Our wellness store features local products, candles, wellness supplies and books, smudge kits and a large range of third-party tested, pharmaceutical grade CBD products. See back cover ad.
YOGA & AYURVEDA
BALANCE BY MELISSA Melissa Pytlak Yoga Instructor Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor 203-305-5531 SeekLifeBalance@gmail.com BalanceByMelissa.com
Melissa invites you to come home to yourself and awaken the healer within. Offering private and group instruction in yoga and Ayurveda, Melissa guides you to connect with your True Self and to trust that you already possess all the wisdom you need to heal yourself in order to return to your innate state of harmony and health. Melissa enjoys teaching group classes but particularly loves the magic that unfolds in helping people one on one. If you need a little guidance on your path of wellness, please reach out for a free 10-minute consultation.
