Walking for Body, Mind and Spirit

By Dennis Coday

In a recent The New York Times column, Jancee Dunn wrote about being a daily walker and how she’s come to notice that she can group her walks by themes. For example:

• The Rage Walk. When she is irked by something, she finds that after stomping around for a while, “I eventually got distracted by my neighbor’s dahlias and found my anger had subsided.”
• Savor the Happy Walk. The converse of The Rage Walk, this is a peaceful, meandering stroll.
• The Melancholy Walk. “Putting one foot in front of the other has been shown to reduce depression and anxiety,” Dunn writes.
• The Issue Walk. “There’s something about perambulation that helps me work out my problems,” she notes.

I too am a daily walker, and this summer I led a program at the Renewal Center that incorporated two of my interests. The program, “Contemplative Walking,” was part of our Teach Us to Pray series looking at different prayer styles.

For the last several years, I have been trying to make Christian centering prayer, a meditation technique, a daily practice. At the same time, I have been trying to eat better and exercise more. I try to walk 50 minutes a day. I knew that this was good for my physical health, but I have been amazed at how walking benefited me in so many ways. I had more positive mental energy. I had a better outlook on life. I felt better about myself. That was a revelation!

Studying Christian meditation, I found teachers writing about incorporating movement into prayer. I was discovering thorough experience and study the mind-body-soul connection. I concluded: Movement is good for your body and your soul. It’s more than good, it’s essential.

Many traditions incorporate movement into prayer, yoga or tai chi, for example. Dance is a great way to incorporate movement into prayer, but I can’t dance. The most accessible movement available to the largest group of people is walking. I had a new goal: contemplative walking.

For the program in July, I developed two exercises. One, “A Slow, Quiet Walk,” takes 10 minutes and can be done indoors. The other, “Walking in a New Way,” is meant for out of doors and needs a minimum of 15 minutes. Recordings of the exercises are on our website: Two Exercises in Contemplative Walking.

Here’s a few of the programs coming to the Renewal Center in October. Check our website for details and more offerings. pbrenewalcenter.org/events

• Oct. 8, Thursday— Spoken Soul —Spoken Soul invites you to share, connect, and be inspired. In-person only.
• Oct. 12-Nov. 16, Mondays — 6:30-8 p.m. — Speaking of God: Honest Christianity for a World Seeking Hope. Part One. — A book study with Fr. Ron Will. In-person and over Zoom.
• Oct. 24, Saturday — Bread Making Retreat — Inspired by Acts 2:42, Lucia Ferrara leads this morning retreat. In-person only.
• Oct. 31-Nov. 1 — Autumn Triduum Retreat —Each Autumn, we celebrate a Triduum of feasts — All Hallows Eve, All Saints, and All Souls — a celebration of the people whose holiness inspired your faith journey. Led by Fr. Joe Nassal. In-person only, but presentations will be recorded.

[Dennis Coday is director of engagement at Precious Blood Renewal Center, Liberty, Missouri.]