Breath Walks
Conscious breathing is better -
outside.
Why is a breath walk so relaxing?
Walking and bringing awareness to your breath has been shown to ignite the rest-and-digest arm of striders’ nervous systems, leading to decreased blood pressure, heartrate, and even better sleep.
When you couple the slow breathing and slow strides with the mental health benefits of being outside remembering we are a part of nature, the restoration and relaxation cannot be missed.
The Flow of a Breath Walk
A prompt from a previous breath walk - Can you match your breath with that red oak’s way of respiration?
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Each walk begins with a stationary 10-minute breath flow to bring attendees into the present moment and regulate their nervous systems.
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The ramble, whether it is 300-feet or 0.5 miles, includes pre-selected points to breathe with flowers, trees, birds, and other elements of nature - letting them be the breath guides. Attendees are encouraged to have a breathing partner to share about their experiences along the way.
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The remaining moments together provide space to share about the journey and to set intentions to bring conscious breaths into future strides as a team.
Breath Walks’ Insights
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Let the Outside Slow Your Group Down
The combination of being outside and simply bringing awareness to the breath with an activity a client does every day helped her feel comfortable, at ease, and ready to make her practice a lifetime gig.
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A New Take on Team Building
A garden manager witnessed shifts in the health of the plants (her fellow colleagues) that she works with everyday during a breath walk. Meanwhile, another ambler shared that the practice of walking with the breath helped her better listen to her colleagues in the next session.
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Reinvigorated for The Rest of the Retreat (and Season)
An ambler came up after the walk to detail how the walk had provided him with an hour where we didn’t overthink the past or worry about the future. He felt more grounded in his body and that he had space to respond instead of react.