Why movement matters

This pandemic has exposed a lot of our potential weak points but above all others it shows how much we move. In NYC it’s crippling. A city that prides itself in its walkability has been hobbled by a virus that keeps us sedentary. A normal day for a New Yorker commuting easily hits that 8k step threshold I like for my clients just going to and from work and our extracurricular activities.

Aside from the health benefits that may help us to better manage the ravaging effects of a respiratory virus, moving is our natural state. The optimal foraging theory posits that we learned to walk upright in order to survive. Walking (and likely throwing) elevated us to the top of the food chain. That’s pretty cool.

I’m never interested in just the physiological benefits of anything. Without the mind and emotional core, the body is just a shell. Which is where I find such benefit in a walking practice. Walking is mindfulness. We can be present and aware of our surroundings. We can even engage in walking meditation. But we can also use this time as a mental practice, listening to a podcast or just free thinking. Walks are my time to think deeply on topics I’m interested in. Really dissecting and connecting seeming unrelated topics.

You might not have access to a gym. You might not want to run (I know I don’t). But you can always put on your sneakers and go for a walk. It really can be a healing practice for the mind, body and spirit. So put your shoes on, go for a walk, and make your ancestors proud.