A Colour Walk is an active meditation technique. The technique involves choosing a specific colour, such as red, yellow or blue, before going out to look for objects that match that colour while you walk. This mindful practice allows us to combine our physical activity and physical awareness into one mindful activity; walking in a colour creates both physical and emotional balance, takes us out of our normal routines and reminds us to be mindful of our environment. The popularity of this trend can be attributed to its ability to alleviate daily stressors, enhance moods and provide for improved mental health.
"Colour Walking" is scientifically proven to improve your levels of awareness. By shifting your attention to one colour, it takes your mind off stress and other things that might be bothering you. This shift in focus causes activation of your parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which helps decrease physical stress levels and increase relaxation.
The emotional and cognitive effects of colours can be stimulating, where noticing certain colours will help improve an individual’s ability to concentrate, heighten their sense of perception and elicit favourable emotions. Additionally, walking increases heart rate, circulation, energy and mobility. When combined with the above, the two benefits produce an effective form of mind-body health and wellness called a ‘colour walk’.
Unlike traditional forms of meditation, which require individuals to be seated while still and quiet, colour walks provide a more engaging approach that is more accessible to beginners than other forms of meditation. Colour walks promote mindfulness through movement, allowing those who find difficulty with sitting still to find some measure of mental clarity, calmness and relaxation from utilizing a colour walk.
It's simple to start a colour walk! It only requires some thought about how you feel before beginning your walk; you may want to think about which colour corresponds with the way you are feeling at that time. For example, if you feel relaxed, your colour might be green; if you're happy, yellow would be a good choice; for concentration, choose red!
Walk slowly and try not to have distractions around you while walking; scan the area around you while walking for whatever colour you chose, whether they be nature, architecture, articles of clothing, signs, or any other object that you encounter while on your walk.
During your walk, be sure to listen closely to your surroundings so you can really appreciate all of what you are seeing and hearing (i.e., textures, shapes, sounds). Reflect afterwards upon how you felt while walking, based on your colour and if doing this practice impacted your feelings in any way. Over time, doing colour walks may increase your level of emotional awareness, decrease your stress levels, and create a stronger connection to the world that surrounds you.
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