I usually listen to music or a podcast when I run, but yesterday my headphones wouldn’t connect to my watch so I had to run without music.
As I was running down the asphalt path, I could hear my shoes hitting the pavement at a steady, rhythmic pace. I could hear my breath going in and out. I could hear the river flowing next to me. Nothing else. Just the rhythm of my shoes, breath, and the river.
Without even intending to, I was meditating.
This made me realize why running can be so hard for so many people—running is a form of meditation.
When you’re running, your mind has nowhere else to go. You must stay focused on the movement of your feet, your legs, your breath. You can feel every single step as your foot hits the ground and the shock runs up your leg. Your mind has to be focused on your whole body. You have to be focused on the present moment.
If you try to think of other things while you’re running, your mind may wander for a couple of seconds, but it will almost immediately bring you back to the present.
If you run consistently, it is possible to let your mind drift off and for longer periods of time, but sooner or later you snap out of it you always come back to the present.
While running is typically looked at as a physical activity, it’s your mind that has the final say. Your body doesn’t start or stop moving on its own—your mind has to command it to do so. Your mind is in total control.
This is exactly why so many people use running as a tool to train their minds and it's the same reason people meditate at all.
This is also why so many people either struggle with running or simply avoid it altogether. It requires full focus and concentration for long periods of time.
Can you think of any other activities that require you to be as physically and mentally focused as running? You simply cannot go for a two-hour run without having your mind in the right place... You'll stop 10 minutes in and go home. It requires total mental focus.
If you aren’t one for sitting in a chair and repeating mantras over and over, then I highly recommend you try running.
If you're just starting out in running, instead of focusing on distance or speed, focus on time. Go for a 5-minute run first. Then go for a 10-minute run. Work your way up to a 30-minute run. Don’t worry about how fast or how far you’re going. Forget about the stats. Just run at your own pace and see where your mind takes you.
You might just surprise yourself and fall in love with it.
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