What is mindful walking?

Mindful walking in nature is a practice of being fully present in the natural world by using all your senses to engage with your surroundings. You might have heard of it as ‘forest bathing’ or the Japanese art of Shinrin-yoku. It involves focusing on physical sensations, like the feeling of your feet on the ground, and on sensory details such as sights, sounds, smells, and the feel of the breeze, to reduce stress and increase a sense of calm and well-being. The goal is to focus on the journey itself. Mindful walking is not just being out in nature, it’s about allowing yourself to be present in the moment, without the distractions of digital noise like a phone, or listening to music.

Far from being a whimsical or ‘hippie’ trend, this connection to nature is backed by solid scientific evidence showing real benefits for mental (and physical) wellbeing. It might seem silly trying to teach people how to go for a walk outside, but its more than that, it’s about being taught how to engage your mind and body correctly to unlock the true benefits nature can bring. A 2021 report by the Mental Health Foundation highlighted that:

• Spending time in nature is linked to improved life satisfaction, reduced anxiety and increased happiness.

• Contact with nature generates an increase in positive emotions and feelings of vitality, and a decrease in negative emotions; it also provides relief of from mental tiredness, and an improvement in our attention span.

• People with ‘high exposure’ to nature (taking more frequent breaks to spend time outdoors in green spaces) reported significantly higher work engagement compared to the participants in the same study who described themselves as having a low ‘exposure to nature’ profile (those who spent more time in the office or who took indoor breaks).

• People’s nature connectedness, rather than visits to nature, is key for feeling that life is worthwhile – nearly four times larger than the increase associated with socio-economic status.