No time to meditate? Try this teacher’s favorite walking meditation to feel calmer and more grounded in under 10 minutes

I find walking to be a naturally meditative practice. I love spending my time outside and combining it with a low-impact exercise seems like a no-brainer.

I’ve come across walking meditations before, and even tried a few, but I often struggle to make time for them.

What’s more, once I’m on the go with the opportunity to do one, I’ll realize I’ve left my phone at home and have no idea how to actually practice properly without guidance.

Clara Schroeder, an ecotherapist and meditation expert, often combines meditation with nature because she recognises the benefits of both for mental and physical health.

She has designed this guided walking meditation for Fit&Well, and encourages you to try it when you need a moment of calm and clarity. It takes less than 10 minutes, plus it’s fairly intuitive so you can learn to do it yourself—and head out with or without your phone.

How to do the walking meditation

“Find an area outside where you can safely and easily walk for the next few minutes,” says Schroeder.

“For a traditional mindfulness walking meditation, you will walk in a straight line for 10 to 15 steps, pause, then turn around and walk back to your starting point and repeat.”

She adds that you can also just walk in a straight line and keep going in one direction if you prefer and the terrain allows.

“The goal is neither speed nor distance covered, but the level of presence and attention with which you walk,” she adds.

Schroeder encourages you to feel your feet landing on the ground as you walk and concentrate on breathing slowly, while activating your five senses.

“Tune in to the landscape and ecosystem around you. Feel the touch of the air or sunlight on your skin, smell any fragrance that might be there, notice the textures and shapes of plants around you, as well as the sounds of birds or other elements present,” she says.

“Let your attention be curious about your environment, and your body relax and soften as you walk—as if your feet were gently kissing the earth with each step.”

She adds that before you finish your walking meditation, you should place a hand on your heart and a hand on your belly, and notice what changes you can observe in your mind and body while you have been walking.

Why is walking meditation good for you?

Schroeder is an advocate for spending more time outside.

“Walking in nature sends powerful signals to our brain, particularly to the amygdala, which is responsible for threat perception and oftentimes operates on overdrive,” she says.

She adds that the setting you choose can reduce your stress levels—seeing trees, light, and landscape in your peripheral vision helps reduce amygdala activity.

If, like many, you live in a state of cognitive overload dealing with constant notifications, task switching and screen-based activities, Schroeder says walking outside allows the prefrontal cortex in the brain—responsible for executive function and decision-making—to rest and recover.

This makes nature walking an even more valuable wellness activity, even without active meditation.

What are the benefits of combining movement with meditating?

For many years, I was under the impression that meditation had to involve sitting still. I have ADHD and sitting still while doing nothing has always seemed quite hellish. Now I know that meditation can be done in motion too.

“There is a common myth that meditation involves being completely still and free of thoughts, and while that is the expectation for certain types of meditations, I find that it is not necessarily appropriate for everyone,” says Schroeder.

“For many people, moving their bodies is more beneficial than staying seated in an uncomfortable position and facing a multitude of disruptive thoughts while doing so,” she adds.

“Walking meditation instead allows one’s attention to wander naturally and be drawn to elements of nature, which allows the mind to quiet down and the heart to soften into awe and gratitude.

What makes walking meditation different from a regular walk?

As I started writing this article, I wondered what makes this practice so different from my regular dog walks. It turns out, quite a lot.

“In a typical walk, the mind often stays preoccupied with problem-solving or planning. In walking meditation, attention is intentionally anchored in the present moment, giving the mind a chance to recharge,” Schroeder explains.

“You are not walking with an end goal in mind,” she adds. “It is not about exercising or going somewhere. Instead, it’s an opportunity to allow your body to come into the present and for the mind to be nourished by things it would normally miss or overlook—like flowers, trees, birds, or animals present nearby.”

“This process allows the nervous system to shift out of overdrive into a state of regulation and grounded awareness, which in turn supports greater clarity, improved mood, and enhanced creativity.”