Aimless Wandering And Wondering Technique

We all know that our mind needs rest as much as our body to be able to work at its best. But it’s easier said than done in the world where achieving goals often seem to be appreciated more than living itself.

As a working mother I have little time to recharge myself. Thanks to our children, one day I learned a great way to do it.  It was when we just went out together and end up collecting snail shells from the beach.

So far this has been the simplest practice that relaxes me both mentally and physically. And what’s best it doesn’t require a lot of time or energy!

Here are short instructions for this “Aimless Wandering and Wondering Technique”:

Here’s how to do it in a more detailed way:

1. Go out and intuitively start walking wherever it feels good to walk.

2. Forget about all goal-oriented activities and what useful you could do outdoors.

Concentrate on just being.

3. If you want to step off the road and walk in the forest instead, just do it. If you want to grab a stone and feel it in your hand, just do it.

Don’t think too much what you do or why you do it. 

4. Use all your senses to wonder life around you: touch, listen, watch, smell.

Focus on nature, not you.

5. While you wander physically let your mind wander too.

Let thoughts arise but let them go too. Instead of holding on let your thoughts flow free just like you let yourself move freely.

Continue the practice as long or short as you like. When it feels right, find your way back home.

How to have more quality to this practice?

• Book time so that you don’t need to do the practice in a hurry.
• Put on proper clothes so that cold/heat doesn’t grab your attention.
• Leave your phone home (or mute it).
• Choose a place where you can go through your practice without distractions.

Mind-wandering is not only a good way to recharge yourself. I’ve got the best ideas for my work and realizations about life during aimless walks in nature. Why great ideas come when you aren’t trying? writes also Nature, International Weekly Journal Of  Science in its article.

That’s why I keep on practicing this simple mindfulness technique. After all, it’s not so simple for us who are better at doing things than just being and living in the moment.

If you find this practice hard (I sure did in the beginning!), just follow children. They don’t yet have goals in everything what they do. They just live, wander and wonder.

And you can see it on their faces how good it does for their wellbeing and happiness.