The Art of Mindful Walking

Book excerpt: As an Anglican priest and former Priest-in-Ordinary to the Queen, a lecturer in Buddhism, and a devoted walker, Adam Ford is an inspiring guide with a refreshingly eclectic viewpoint. Contemplating the concept of a purposeful walking, he applies the notion of mindfulness to walks ranging from a simple journey to work to a personal odyssey in the Australian outback. Exploring the idea of the walk as both medium and metaphor, and considering ideas of pilgrimage alongside the notion of the walk in literature, he draws on his personal experience of both spirituality and walking. This book celebrates and enchances those moments: both for the hardened hiker and those who like to contemplate past walks from the comfort of their armchair.