A WAY TO RELAX: MIND TO BODY

Sometimes you might find it hard to love where you live. A Fresno woman decided that the only way to appreciate her hometown was to get it know it better, so Lori Clanton started the Fresno Mindfulness Walks 4 years ago. 

Clanton brought together a group to walk for 4 miles every Saturday morning around 8:30 a.m. Her mission was to get anyone who wanted to join together so they can meet at a different neighborhood every week. During these walks nobody talks to one another, instead they observe what they see and hear during these 4 miles.

Lori said, “I surprised my friends by saying ‘by the way I don’t want to talk on this walk. I think we should just pay attention and we all laughed about it because we usually chatted the whole time. But we walked for four miles and we didn’t talk and that raised our awareness and we started paying attention to Fresno.”

Tamela Ryatt, a member of the group, said, “I always have something to do on a Saturday morning. But in the last year I’ve decided I need to slow things down and I took a shot at going out early in the morning during the summer and I was hooked.”

After they walk the 4 miles, the group will gather and talk about their experience and what they saw.

This is a way to remove yourself from any stress the week has brought and to connect your mind to your body. It provides a fresh start to the week.

Ryatt said, “it gives me the chance to clear my mind of all the clutter, get some exercise that is much needed, and I just feel a thousand times better after the walk.”

You can always join the Fresno Mindfulness Walks group on any given Saturday morning. Just follow the group on facebook or online at http://fresnomindfulnesswalks.org.