Walking Meditation and Faith Transition: How Presence Can Shift Your State
I woke up this morning in kind of a funk. I didn’t sleep well, I wasn’t feeling great, and overall, just wasn’t really feeling it. When I got out of the car after dropping off my daughter at school, the cool morning breeze hit me like an invitation – an invitation to bring some ease and gentleness to my day rather than the drudging through on autopilot that I might have otherwise done.
I threw on my headphones, searched for a walking meditation, and went on my way. My meditation started as it so often does for me, a pinging around of to-dos, worries, regrets, and wonderings. Then I eventually noticed and reminded myself that I am supposed to be meditating, so I should probably let those thoughts go…which I’m successful at for about 5.3 seconds. After a few rounds of stressing about my day and coming back to the present, I started to really settle in, and things started to profoundly shift in ways I didn’t think were possible given my crusty mood just a few minutes before.
Finding Presence in the Moment
As I got out of my head and started to allow myself to just be present with my experience, I started to notice that cool breeze again. I witnessed a small moment of joy as a couple of parents went down the slide with their young child before continuing with their walk. I started to notice the movement in the trees, the vibrant textures in the sky, and steady grounding rhythm of my feet moving underneath me. Before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face (as I get older, I’ve really started to embrace my crying self – you should see me at the movie theater). My walking slowed, my breathing deepened, and I felt a deep sense of gratitude for just being in that moment.
As I stood there taking it all in, I had a quiet realization: nothing about my external circumstances had changed. I hadn’t solved any of the problems I woke up stressing about. I hadn’t jumped into my to-do list yet. But something meaningful had shifted. I know that when we experience shifts in faith, identity, or meaning, internal changes like this can feel both unfamiliar and deeply needed.
Reflections on Intuition, Movement, and Connection
In reflecting on that experience, a few ideas are standing out to me (both personally and in the work I do with clients):
1. Intuition matters. Many of the folks I work with struggle with trusting their internal wisdom. Many were taught in childhood to turn down their own needs to keep the peace or to override their internal compass in order to defer to external authority. They were taught that avoiding difficult emotions was the safest way to get through the day. Because of this, healing often involves rebuilding trust with ourselves, and learning, sometimes for the first time, that our inner wisdom is worth listening to.
2. Doing something different can often shift your state faster than thinking. I’m a firm believer in both cognitive (thought-based) and body-based approaches to growth and healing. What I often find is that shifting our thought processes and meaning-making systems is much easier once our internal state has shifted. Breathwork, movement, taking imperfect action, muscle relaxation are all powerful tools for helping us regulate the nervous system, regroup, and plan for the next intentional steps we want to take.
3. Connection matters. In this experience, noticing my body and the nature around me helped trigger that shift. These connections reminded me that my thoughts are just one part of my experience, not who I am. Feeling part of a bigger world—tapping into awe—also helped me remember the other connections in my life: family, friends, mentors, and community. We often move through life best when we’re attuned to both our inner experience and the world around us.
Small Steps That Make a Big Difference
While experiences like this aren’t always this profound, I’ve found that taking imperfect, intuition-led, value-aligned steps tends to move me in the directions I want to go. This morning didn’t solve my problems or answer my bigger questions. But it did remind me of something I come back to often, especially in seasons of uncertainty:
I don’t have to think my way into clarity.
Sometimes, I can move, notice, and connect my way there instead.
If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, you might try:
Taking a short walk, even just around the block, with or without a guided meditation
Noticing three things you can see, hear, and feel in the moment
Letting your goal be staying present in the moment, not solving anything right now
Small, intentional shifts in experience can create meaningful internal change.
For more information on support in navigating a faith transition, click here.