- Wordsworth was a walker.
- Charles Dickens was a walker.
- Henry David Thoreau, who was both author and naturalist, walked and walked and walked.
Does pacing count? Because I do that pretty often.
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I spend about an hour a day hiking/walking as part of a health regimen I began about 15 years ago. It's the closest thing to meditation I have in my life and I have to admit many of my most productive thoughts bubble up while doing it.
Last weekend I walked for 7 miles / 11 km in NYC and thoroughly enjoyed myself. However, I can see it getting annoying if I lived there. The "Times Square" area seems like it goes on forever. The term for such a walker, omitted from the article, is flâneur / flâneuse.
The only part of Atlas Shrugged that I really remember features Dagny (or maybe a different major character) in a subway station. While buying cigarettes, the shop attendant said people had started walking differently. Once, they walked quickly because they had important places to be. Now, they walked fast to get away from other things. Given that it was a subway,he didn't say anything about walking for no reason, but I think the broader trend he remarked on seems broadly true.
It is so rare that I go for a walk without a destination or goal in mind. Also, it is not very often that I am alone when I walk. I either have children or a dog with me. I often see people walking with a book and reading as they walk. This always seems odd to me, if not dangerous. Its not often you see someone walking alone, and not listening to music too. I suppose a purposeless walk is akin to meditation. People should go out and walk free of distractions, says Nicholson. "I do think there is something about walking mindfully. To actually be there and be in the moment and concentrate on what you are doing."
-This can be done with anything, not just walking. How often are you present and in the moment when brushing your teeth or driving somewhere? Most of the time we are distracted by a thought or the future, past or just your minds internal dialog, doing what it does.