People are always looking for ways to find more peace in their lives. One of the most popular trends (as seen on TikTok, The Today Show and YouTube) is a color walk, where you choose one color to follow in a walk through nature. The practice has been shown to spark mindfulness, reduce stress and increase energy.
Founded by William S. Burroughs, American writer and visual artist, a color walk “is a mindful walk where you pick one color at the start, then notice it in your environment throughout your walk,” said AloMoves.com.
Georgia State scholars said that Burroughs “came up with color walking to help inspire his students. [He] wanted his students to walk outside and pick any color that catches the eye and follow that color from object to object.”
AloMoves.com describes the process of taking a color walk.
If your color is red, you might notice a red stoplight, a neighbor’s strawberry patch, someone’s shirt, a dog collar, etc. It’s a walking meditation of sorts, as it forces you to let go of your thoughts and worries and focus your attention on what you see.
Color walks have numerous benefits other than just meditation. These include improved cardiovascular fitness and sleep quality, healthy weight, better immune function and easing joint pain, said AloMoves.com
To take a color walk, the Stanford Humanities Center advises people to find an hour of uninterrupted time and ensure that the walk is simply for that reason (do not combine it with other activities like shopping, talking or using your technology).
AloMoves.com also offers other suggestions for maximizing the benefits of a color walk:
“Before leaving for your walk, make sure you’re prepared with a comfortable outfit and water bottle. Make sure you know where you’re going beforehand and you are aware of your surroundings, even when looking for colors. Choose a color that speaks to you, then commit to finding that color anywhere throughout your walk. Look in nature, in houses and buildings, close and far away. Once you notice a color, you can repeat what you see in your mind. E.g., ‘Orange flower. Orange cone. Orange building.’ Notice the beauty of each thing. Avoid walking too quickly — take your time and savor every step. Think about it as an unfolding discovery rather than a fast-paced scavenger hunt.”
Stanford Humanities Center offers these things to think about while on the walk. “As you walk try to construct a color story or a narrative based on the color you observe. What are the colors that you become aware of first? What are the colors that reveal themselves more slowly? What colors do you observe that you did not expect? What color relationships do you notice? Do colors appear to change over time?”
According to MindfulMethodsforLife.com, seeking out a single color during a walk allows your mind to be free of other stressors or worried thoughts, and focus on one purpose. Color walks are not just confined to adults — in fact, it’s a fun family activity to allow kids to “disconnect” from technology and get back to nature.
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