A Walking Meditation for Nervous System Regulation

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "A Walking Meditation for Nervous System Regulation"

Podcast: Building Resilience
Host: Leah Davidson
Episode: 218 (A Walking Meditation for Nervous System Regulation)
Date: February 19, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Leah Davidson—nervous system resilience coach and speech-language pathologist—guides listeners through a walking meditation designed for nervous system regulation. Drawing from personal experience and professional expertise, Leah explores how intentional movement can bring relief from anxiety, stress, and overthinking. The episode combines educational insights about the power of walking meditations with a practical, step-by-step guide listeners can follow in real time.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Medicine of Walking (00:00–03:26)

• Walking as a Simple, Powerful Tool: Leah opens by emphasizing that walking is "not just movement; it’s medicine… a built-in reset button for your body and your mind." (00:05)
• The Compound Effect: Sharing her personal practice, Leah describes her commitment to daily walking for both mental and physical wellbeing, and notes the cumulative, transformative effect it has had.
• Modern Overstimulation: She addresses living in a state of "perpetual overdrive" and being "stuck in team Hyper" due to constant stimulation and busyness.
• Intentionality: Leah distinguishes between walking as mere movement and walking as meditation, a practice that can transform one’s relationship with stress.

2. How Walking Supports the Nervous System (03:26–04:18)

• Physical and Emotional Benefits: Leah connects physical activity to nervous system regulation, explaining:
  “When you walk mindfully, you’re literally rewiring your nervous system… you’re telling your body, ‘hey, we’re safe, we can slow down, we can breathe.’” (03:28)
• Historical Perspective: She likens walking meditations to ancestral self-care: “Our ancestors didn’t have meditation apps… They walked, they moved, they breathed. And in that movement, they found a natural rhythm of regulation and healing.” (03:47)
• Holistic Positive Impact: Walking meditation, she says, is “like a multivitamin for your mental health, but way more enjoyable.” (04:18)

3. Guided Walking Meditation Practice (04:21–13:55)

• Preparation & Intention Setting:

  • Grounding in the present: “Stand with your feet hip width apart. Feel the ground beneath you… This is your anchor.” (05:17)
  • Deep, slow breathing to release tension.
  • Setting a personal intention: “What do you need right now? Maybe it’s calm, maybe it’s safety… Hold that intention in your mind and in your heart.” (05:41)

• Beginning to Walk:

  • “Begin walking at a pace that feels natural and comfortable… Imagine you’re sending a message of safety to your nervous system with each step.” (06:12)
  • She offers the mantra: “Your heel touches down: I am safe. Your ball of your foot rolls forward: I am okay. Your toes push off: I am supported.” (06:23)

• Breath & Rhythm:

  • “Inhale for two steps. Exhale for two to three steps… Let your breath become like a gentle metronome.” (06:35)
  • Focus on long, slow exhales to promote calm.

• Redirecting Attention:

  • “If your mind starts to spin stories of worry or stress, simply return to the rhythm of your steps… There’s no judgment, just a gentle redirection.” (07:29)

• Engaging the Senses:

  • “Start looking around… what do you notice? Feeling the air on your skin… Let each sensation be an invitation to the present moment.” (08:10)

• Body Awareness:

  • Leah guides listeners to scan for tension and breathe into areas of tightness:
    “Are your shoulders tight? Is your jaw clenched? Are your hands making fists? I want you to breathe into those areas… Your nervous system is learning that it can be calm, it can be at ease.” (09:14–09:25)

• Gratitude & Affirmation:

  • Invite appreciation for the body, breath, and self-care:
    “Have gratitude for this moment that has healing potential… affirming to yourself that you are safe, that you are gentle, that you are healing, that you matter.” (12:11–12:38)

• Concluding the Meditation:

  • “Eventually I invite you to come to a gentle stop… place one or both hands over your heart… With each exhale, imagine releasing any remaining tension, any residual stress.” (13:00)
  • Suggests closing with an affirmation:
    “Maybe it’s: I’m grounded. My nervous system knows how to find peace. I am safe. I am calm. I am here.” (13:40)

4. Embracing Practice Over Perfection (13:55–14:51)

• Permission to be Imperfect: Leah gently reminds, “This meditation is a practice. Some days will feel easier than others. There’s no perfect way, only your way. Be kind to yourself.” (13:50)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Walking as Medicine:
  “Walking isn’t just movement, it’s medicine. It’s a built-in reset button for your body and your mind.” – Leah Davidson (00:03)

• Modern Overload:
  "For many of us, our nervous systems are on perpetual overdrive. We're stuck in team Hyper." (02:50)

• On Mindful Movement:
  “Walking isn’t just physical movement—it’s like an intimate conversation between your body and your brain.” (03:26)

• Affirmations for the Nervous System:
  “Your heel touches down: I am safe. Your ball of your foot rolls forward: I am okay. Your toes push off: I am supported.” (06:23)

• Practical Kindness:
  “There’s no perfect way, only your way. Be kind to yourself.” (13:50)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:00–00:35: Introduction to walking as medicine
• 01:19–01:35: The connection between wellbeing and the nervous system
• 03:26–04:18: The science and history behind walking meditation
• 05:17–07:56: Guided beginning of the walking meditation
• 08:10–09:13: Sensory awareness and environment
• 09:14–10:53: Scanning for tension, breath and body awareness
• 12:11–13:00: Sharing gratitude and affirming safety
• 13:40–14:51: Closing affirmations and reminders about ongoing practice

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Closing Thoughts

Leah’s walking meditation offers more than a stress-management tool—it provides an approachable, compassionate framework for reconnecting mind, body, and breath. The episode serves as an accessible resource for listeners seeking regulation, presence, and self-kindness in their daily routines.

Listeners are encouraged to repeat this meditation as needed and to trust their unique processes of healing and growth.

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Transcript

[Leah Davidson]

What if I told you that one of the most powerful tools for calming your nervous system is something you already do every single day? Walking isn't just movement, it's medicine. It's a built in reset button for your body and your mind. But when you add intention to it, it becomes a powerful practice of healing. And that's exactly what we're diving into today. Welcome to the Building Resilience podcast, episode 218 of A Walking meditation for nervous system regulation.

Welcome to Building Resilience, a podcast where theory, practical strategies and inspiring stories show you how to unlock your best life. I'm your host, Leah Davidson. As a certified life coach, speech language pathologist, and nervous system resilience expert, it is my mission to teach you how to be more resilient to life's adversities. I will show you how to manage your mind, befriend your nervous system, process your emotions, and even eliminate stress. It's time to do more than just survive. It's time to thrive. Let's get started.

Hello. Hello, everybody.

How are you doing?

How is your nervous system doing? Because that's what it all comes down to, right? We know how we're doing based on the state of our nervous system. So a couple of weeks ago now.

When I was in Vienna at a.

Mastermind, one of my colleagues was asking about walking meditations and she said she would love to have one. So I know you know, I love, love, love walking. I did an episode on the power of walking last year. I think it aired in January, episode 163. And I know it's a favorite of many and I truly love walk. I have a goal to walk 12, 500 steps and I haven't missed a day since October. My goal is to do that for the whole year and then to just keep going because my body craves walking. I have found the compound effect of walking for my mental and physical health is truly amazing. So I highly, highly encourage you to go walking. Now. One of the reasons it is so powerful is because we're living in a time of constant stimulation. Endless to do lists, a cultural narrative that tells us we should always be doing and achieving and pushing. You've heard me talk about this before. For many of us, our nervous systems are on like perpetual overdrive. We're stuck in team Hyper. And truly the best, simplest, most cost effective and magical medicine that many of us can do is walking. And today I want to talk not just about walking as movement, but walking with intention. Walking as meditation, walking as healing. So I'm sure You can relate that there are many moments where your mind is like this tornado of thoughts, and your body might feel like it's carrying the weight of the world. And finding calm seems impossible. And that's exactly why walking meditations have become such powerful practices for many people. And today I wanted to share one with you. I want you to really digest the idea that walking isn't just physical movement. It's like an intimate conversation between your.

Body and your brain.

And when you walk mindfully, you're literally rewiring your nervous system. You're telling your body, hey, we're safe, we can slow down, we can breathe. Now, think about it. Our ancestors didn't have meditation apps or stress management workshops. They walked, they moved, they breathed. And in that movement, they found a natural rhythm of regulation and healing. So a walking meditation, like a reset button for your entire system. It combines the physical benefits of movement, increased blood flow, releases of endorphins, improved cardiovascular health, with the mental and emotional benefits of meditation, which are lower cortisol levels, reduce anxiety, enhance focus, improve mood. It's like a multivitamin for your mental.

Health, but way more enjoyable.

Today, I'm going to guide you through a walking meditation specifically designed to help you drop out of your busy mind and into the wisdom of your body. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed or anxious, or you just want a moment of safety, a moment of peace, this practice is for you. And you don't need special equipment, you don't need hours of free time. All you need is yourself, a willingness to be present, and maybe a small patch of ground, indoors or outdoors. So let's explore how something as simple as intentional walking can become a very powerful practice of nervous system healing and self care. Are you ready? Here we go. Take a moment to just breathe right where you are. Stand with your feet hip width apart. Feel the ground beneath you.

Solid, steady, supporting you completely. This is your anchor. Close your eyes.

If you feel comfortable, take a deep.

Breath in through your nose, letting your chest. And then your belly expands like a gentle wave. Exhale slowly, feeling the tension start to melt away.

Now, I want you to think about setting an intention.

What do you need right now? Maybe it's calm, maybe it's safety. Maybe it's just a moment of ease or peace. Whatever it is, I want you to hold that intention in your mind and in your heart. Now we're going to open your eyes and we're going to begin walking. Begin walking at a pace that feels natural and comfortable.

Not too fast, not too slow.

And let your Arms just swing naturally and gently at your sides as you walk.

Imagine you're sending a message of safety.

To your nervous system with each step. Your heel touches down. I am safe.

Your ball of your foot rolls forward.

I am okay. Your toes push off. I am supported. Continue walking. Inhale for two steps. Exhale for two to three steps. Continue doing this. Find a pattern that works for you of breathing in and a longer exhalation out. Let your breath become like a gentle metronome, creating a soothing internal soundtrack of breathing in to account and then breathing out to account. Focus on a low and slow exhale. If your mind starts to spin, stories of worry or stress, simply return to the rhythm of your steps. Notice how your breath is matching up with your steps. There's no judgment, just a gentle redirection of your mind to your breath and your steps. Continue doing that as you pay attention to each footstep. You notice how it feels in your.

Body as your feet hit the ground.

And the rhythm that you create with your slow and low breathing.

Now I want you to expand your awareness a little bit.

Start looking around. What do you notice around you? And if you're outdoors, you may also notice sensations. Feeling the air on your skin. Notice Is it cool? Is it warm? Is it soft? Let each sensation be an invitation to the present moment. And if you're indoors, you can tune into that space as well. The subtle sounds, the quality of light, the sense of containment of wherever you are. Continue focusing on your breath and focusing on the steps. With each step, silently remind yourself, I'm here. I'm now. I'm safe in this moment.

Now, notice your body.

Pay attention to your body.

Are your shoulders tight?

Is your jaw clenched? Are your hands making fists? I want you to breathe into those areas. Imagine your breath. It's like a gentle wave, washing away all the tension in your body. Your nervous system is learning that it can be calm, it can be at ease. Continue walking, pacing yourself, allowing yourself to build up that awareness. Noticing what your breath is counting in to the beat of 3 or 4. Exhaling to the beat of 4 or 5. Whatever pace works for you. Noticing your feet as they touch the ground. Each step that you take. Looking around you. Noticing what you hear. Noticing what it feels like, the air on your skin or the environment around you. Continue to walk. Notice what's going on in your body. The tension, the release of tension, the relaxation. Continue doing this for as long as.

You like.

Staying focused on the breath and your step. If your mind wanders, that's okay. Gently invite it to come back to the step and the breath. Now, gradually, you can slow your pace and make each step even more deliberate, even more mindful. Or you may decide to quicken your pace again, each step more deliberate, more mindful. We're here in the present. We're paying attention. We're orienting ourselves to our environment, building up that awareness.

What is surrounding you?

What does your body feel like? Check in with your body. Notice any shifts in your body? Is there less tension? Maybe your breath feels a little deeper. Maybe you can feel a tiny spark of calm that you didn't have before. And I want you to silently offer gratitude to your body for carrying you, for your legs, for supporting you, your.

Muscles, your bones, your whole frame.

The miracle of your body that is allowing you to walk. The miracle of your breath as it breathes in and out, bringing you to calm, helping you sustain your life. Have gratitude for this moment that has healing potential. Have gratitude to yourself for taking this time to care for not just your body, but for your inner landscape. And as you walk, you can continue telling yourself and reminding yourself, affirming to yourself that you are safe, that you are gentle, that you are healing, that you matter. You're going to continue walking for as long as you like, even past this meditation. Want to invite you to continue taking in the sounds, what you see around you. Stop and notice what's going on in your body. Continue breathing. If your mind wanders, bring it back. Continue going as long as you're comfortable. And eventually I invite you to come to a gentle stop and to stand still and place one or both hands over your heart if it feels right. And take in three low and slow nourishing breaths. And with each exhale, I want you to imagine releasing any remaining tension, any residual stress, and close your eyes. And close with an affirmation that resonates with you. Maybe it's I'm grounded. My nervous system knows how to find peace. I am safe. I am calm. I am here. And remember that this meditation is a practice. Some days will feel easier than others. There's no perfect way, only your way. Be kind to yourself. I hope you enjoyed this journey.

I hope you found it helpful. And I hope you will return frequently to come walk with me.

Thank you for listening to the Building Resilience podcast. If you're interested in learning a little bit more about managing stress, building resilience, and leading a more purposeful life, then make sure we're connected on Instagram and Facebook at Leah Davidson Life Coaching. You can also subscribe to my Weekly newsletter at www.leahdavidsonlifecoaching.com Newsletter Looking forward to connecting.