try going for a long walk

Try going for a long walk, a multi-day walk. Once upon a time, we humans would have walked everywhere. Nowadays, we tend to use forms of transport when we want to get somewhere. So many people do not walk very much at all. And this is really a great loss.

When we are walking, our bodies are moving. And it's not just the muscles in the legs that are working. All the muscles that control our posture will be in action. And it's good for these muscles to work. And here, I don't just mean that it's good to exercise – it's healthy in the normal physical sense – it goes much deeper than that.

Those ancient memories, from our evolution, are built into our very DNA. They are part of who we are. So when we change our lifestyle and drop something as basic as walking, we really cut ourselves off from our roots. By taking some long walks – walks that take a few days or longer – we begin to reconnect with that more primitive part of our being.

And, of course, walking has a slower pace to it than most other forms of transport. And as we get into that slower rhythm, our mind can slow down too. And it's only when the mind slows down that we can begin to catch moments of presence – perhaps moments between thoughts, moments where we are intensely aware of what is around us, without being concerned with the next moment, or what has gone before.

Walking allows us to sink into this slower, more aware way of being in the world. So give it a try: try taking some long walks, preferably alone. I've spoken elsewhere about the benefits of being alone, from time to time at least. When you are with someone, there's always a social aspect. There's always an element that takes you away from pure being.

So try taking some long walks alone, preferably somewhere where you are surrounded by nature. And leave your mobile phone behind. Really give it as a gift to yourself: to spend the time just walking, with nothing else to worry about.