The Feed My Health Podcast

Step Away From Stress: A Guided Walking Meditation Experience

• Rosalind Tapper

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Have you ever felt that traditional meditation just doesn't work for you? You're not alone. After years of downloading apps and attempting to sit still, I discovered something that transformed my approach to mindfulness—walking meditation.

Walking meditation combines physical movement with mindfulness practice, creating a powerful alternative for those who struggle with sitting still. The multisensory experience of walking—feeling the air, hearing surrounding sounds, seeing changing scenery—creates a natural container for focused attention that many find more accessible than traditional meditation. 

This episode shares my personal journey from avoiding solitary walks to embracing them as essential daily practice. I explore how walking meditation helped me overcome resistance to regular movement and transformed my mental wellbeing. The science supports this approach too—engaging multiple senses enhances learning and cognitive processing, making walking meditation particularly effective for those who learn best while moving.

Beyond the mindfulness benefits, regular walking contributes significantly to physical health and longevity. I share the inspiring example of my father-in-law who stayed remarkably active into his late 70s through regular walking, creating lasting family memories in the process. Walking meditation serves as both preventative healthcare and immediate stress relief—perfect for tough days, moments of low self-belief, or simply transitioning between work and home life.

The episode concludes with a complete guided walking meditation you can use immediately. This gentle practice helps you expand awareness beyond screens, reconnect with your body, and cultivate self-compassion through movement. Whether you're a meditation skeptic or simply looking for a fresh approach to mindfulness, walking meditation might be the missing piece in your wellness routine. Ready to step into greater wellbeing? Lace up your shoes and join me.

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Speaker 1:

Welcome back everybody to the Feed my Health podcast. My name is Rosalind Tapper. I have a bit of a different episode for you today, and the reason why I decided to do this is because it suddenly occurred to me that there is something massive that has really, really helped me in my life, in my business life, in my health, in all areas of my life, to be honest that I haven't really shared, and I think the reason why I haven't really shared, and I think the reason why I haven't really shared it is because, potentially, I felt like it's not my place to and I'm certainly not saying that I am any expert in what I'm about to share with you. I definitely think there are people in the world that are far more experienced in this area. However, it feels really selfish of me to gatekeep this and to not share it with you. So let me kind of give you a little bit of a little bit of context Now before you go. Oh gosh, roz, this is not for me, hear me out because I was exactly in that mindset as well when I first started this, and this being meditation.

Speaker 1:

Now there are lots of apps out there that help with meditation, and I have downloaded probably about three to four of them. I've done YouTube meditations. I've even had things that I've downloaded off the internet, and they all have something very similar in common, which is that you are required to kind of get into a comfortable position and sit still or lie still and, you know, let your thoughts come in and out and all the rest of it. And I think that for the people who some people just really really get on very, very well with those meditations and honestly, being completely honest, I would love to be in a place where I could just sit down and meditate, but the reality for me is that I find that really difficult and I'm not actually giving it the time that it needs to get better at it.

Speaker 1:

And meditation is a practice. It's very much like yoga. Yoga is a practice. It's not one of those things where you do it a few times and you're supposed to be good at it. I actually think it can take some people years to get good at this, but I'm going to be completely honest, I haven't given it the time at all, and so what I have found has really helped me instead is a different form of meditation, and I want to share that with you today, and the reason I want to share it with you is because I think that there are a lot of you listening who struggle with a similar thing that I used to struggle with, which is actually just going out for a walk on your own.

Speaker 1:

This was something that I really struggled with before, and I know that I've shared my story a lot, and so I won't repeat it again. But just know that where I am now, which is desperate to go out for my walks and have that time for myself, that didn't used to be the case. I would, would put it off, I would. You know, our walks used to be family walks at the weekends. Before that, we didn't do anything, and the idea of me going out for a walk, it didn't even occur to me, let alone go out for a walk daily, let alone go out for a walk in the countryside where you know there's an axe murder around every hedge.

Speaker 1:

But what I have realised and learned through walking is that I learn very, very well whilst I'm moving, and the thing that I can put it down to is the fact that I'm using multiple senses so smell, hearing, and when you include the different sensory, I can't think what the word is now elements. I'm just going to use the word elements. It's not the correct one, I just can't, it's not coming to me. When you use all of those different elements, studies have shown that you learn better. So that's the first thing that I would say. The second thing that I would say is that I am very much tuned into the thing that I'm listening to.

Speaker 1:

I think when we're at home, in our home environments, we can be easily distracted, whether that's by animals, children, screens, you know. Maybe the tv is going off in the background, maybe a neighbor walks past and, you know, distracts you. And there's so many distractions that I think that we are our own worst enemies, sometimes in our own home environments, and it's very hard to focus and switch off. I'm not using that as an excuse, although it sounds very much like one, but that is just my reality and I'm not going to sugarcoat it, because I could make time to sit down and meditate, and I probably should make time to sit down and meditate, and I probably should make time to sit down and meditate, but I don't. And what I have found to be more enjoyable is what I'm going to share with you today, and not only do.

Speaker 1:

I feel like it's a great way to get into meditation, but I also feel like it's a really great focus for somebody who wants to start walking every single day but just doesn't have the inclination or the. I wouldn't say the word desire desire is not the right word to use at all, but I know a lot of you have said you don't see the point in walking or you find it quite boring because unless you're going somewhere with an intention, you just feel like it's kind of a pointless exercise, and I actually do understand that. But I think that that's where we, as humans and women and people that care about health, we need to actually make it, make there be a reason, and that reason alone could just be. I want to improve my health and I think that's a phenomenal reason. In fact, I actually shared a story with a lady I had a call with this week about my father-in-law and how he was kicking a football around our garden weeks before he died.

Speaker 1:

We're just, he was like late 70s and I truly believe that he was so fit and healthy and mobile until his later days because he kept active and because he walked and no, he didn't walk miles and miles and miles every single day. It obviously that started to sort of dwindle off as he got, you know, towards the latter, latter year of his life, but that activity helped create the longevity of his life and prolong it. So, um, and just kind of to go in a little bit deep with that, I think that even if he did it for selfish reasons which who like that's absolutely what we all should be doing, like looking after your health and doing it for yourself is the number one reason why you should be doing it. But second of all, those are the memories that we now have of him going for walks. He did the couch to 5K with me when I think he was in his mid, early to mid 70s. You know, that's the memory that my son is going to have of his granddad kicking the football around with him, and that is something you can't take away. So I genuinely do believe that it's our right and duty to find ways to enjoy things.

Speaker 1:

But I've completely digressed from what I wanted to actually talk to you about, which is walking meditation. Now, I want this to be something that maybe you can come back to time and time again. It might not be something that you need actually, but every now and again I will turn on a walking meditation, maybe once a week, and it might be when I'm having a bit of a rough day, it might be when I'm in a bit of a bad mood, it might be when I want to achieve something and my self-belief is a little bit lower. It can be for lots and lots of reasons. Sometimes I just want to de-stress and not learn something new or listen to a book. Sometimes I just want to have something in my ear that's calming, that just carries me through that walk.

Speaker 1:

So I wanted to share a walking meditation with you, which I am going to put together myself and record on here for you, excuse me, and you can come back to it as often as you would like, and if you like this and you would like me to do more, just let me know, because I'll. I'll just test the waters, to be honest. I'll just record this one, and if you like it, then we'll do more. Just let me know, because I'll just test the waters, to be honest. I'll just record this one, and if you like it, then we'll do more, and if it's not for you, then you tried it and that's. All you can do is just try and try and try. But for me, I find that it's a great way for me to practice meditation on a regular basis without that feeling of pressure that comes with, find a quiet space and, you know, relax your mind and you've got like a kid walking up and down the landing and somebody's flushing the toilet and all the rest. So we're going to get into this.

Speaker 1:

One thing that I will also finally say about this walking meditation is I've created it in a way that can help you to just come away from the day. So if you are taking a walk in the afternoon lunch break when you've been sat behind your desk or a computer screen, this could be a really great way for you to kind of change your eyeline. That's not the right way of saying it at all. Test your peripheral vision, you know. Just see in a distance. We don't typically tend to look far, far out. I know that sounds absolutely ridiculous when you spend the majority of your time looking at a screen. Looking far away can sometimes just not even occur to you until you are out and about. So, and even then you see people walking around looking at their phones. So this is designed for you in mind if that is you, but you can listen to it and use it however you want. So grab your coats, grab your shoes, grab your ear pods if you have ear pods, this is really something that you're going to want to have in your ear and get ready for our walk.

Speaker 1:

Welcome to this walking meditation, a gentle space to slow down, reconnect and come back home to yourself as you begin walking. There's nothing you need to do perfectly, there's no right and there's no wrong. This is time just for you. Let's begin with a breath Inhale deeply through the nose and a long, slow exhale out the mouth. Let's go Inhale deeply through the nose and exhale out the mouth. Let's do it again Inhale and exhale and just begin to settle in to to your walk. As you walk, gently, begin to expand your awareness Without turning your head, soften your gaze and notice what's in your peripheral vision, the edges of your view, light and movement off to the side, the shadows, the sky. Now tune in to the space around you. What's above you, what's below you? How does the air feel on your skin? Is it cool, is it warm, is it still or is it breezy? Notice the sounds around you. Notice them without needing to label them, just allowing to exist within this space. No pressure, no expectations, just you and this moment.

Speaker 1:

Now bring your attention to your body. Feel the ground beneath your feet with each step, the shift in your weight, the shift in your weight, the muscles in your legs and hips moving in rhythm, the natural swing of your arms. Notice how your body knows how to walk, how to carry you without you needing to control it. And just for a moment, soften your jaw, relax your shoulders, unclench your shoulders, unclench your hands. Let your body move with ease. Let walking feel like a release. Now, gently, bring your attention to your breath. Don't try to change it just yet. Just notice the way it moves in and out and, if it feels good, begin to deepen it. Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. Let each breath calm your nervous system. Let it remind your body that you are safe, that you can slow down, that you are allowed to take this moment for yourself. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth as you continue walking.

Speaker 1:

I want you to imagine that every step you take, you are shedding the pressure to be everything to everyone, away from the old stories that say you must come last and instead you are walking towards yourself, towards the version of you who feels clear, grounded, strong, worthy. Let's speak that into being now. Repeat silently in your head or out loud if you like. I am allowed to put myself first. I am remembering who I am. I am coming home to myself. Feel those words sink in Now as you walk. Picture your future self walking beside you.

Speaker 1:

She feels energised. She smiles easily. She feels good. She doesn't rush or hustle to prove herself. She already knows her worth. What does she look like? What does she know that you've forgotten? What would she whisper to you right now? Maybe she says you've got this. Keep going. You're doing better than you think. Let her presence guide you. Let her presence guide you. Let her walk with you today and every day forwards. As we near the end of this meditation, bring your awareness back to the space around you. Notice the colours again. Notice the movement in the leaves, in the cars, in the people. Notice the rhythm of your steps. Notice the feeling in your body. Take one final deep breath in. You choose yourself. Today. You paused, you walked, you remembered. This is how it begins, not with big leaps, but with gentle, quiet moments like this, moments where you come back to your body, your breath and your truth. You are enough, you are becoming and you are so, so worthy. No-transcript.