Wise Walk is a new way to grow wiser and move more in 2024.
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Wise Walk: Growing Wiser while Moving More in 2024
The Spark
I recently updated this post about MEDS (Meditation, Exercise, Diet, Sleep), and it got me thinking…
Diet & Sleep:
I feel pretty good about my diet and sleep at the moment (quitting alcohol and caffeine, completely revamping my sleep to go to bed 3 hours earlier and wake up earlier, etc).
Meditation & Exercise:
I feel less good about meditation and exercise. I know I need to be getting more steps each day. Many people have heard about aiming for 10,000 steps/day, but the book The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal says:
“When adults are randomly assigned to reduce their daily step count, 88 percent become more depressed. Within one week of becoming more sedentary, they report a 31 percent decline in life satisfaction. The average daily step count required to induce feelings of anxiety and depression and decrease satisfaction with life is 5,649. The typical American takes 4,774 steps per day. Across the globe, the average is 4,961.”
Most days, I don’t think I hit 5,649 steps (sometimes it’s not even close). So, I want to consistently increase my daily step count next year. But, I also want to look forward to it—especially on those cold / dark / rainy / snowy days where I definitely don’t want to do it. So, I’m going to combine meditation + exercise in what I’m calling a daily “wise walk” (yes, I know this isn’t technically “meditation”—for true meditation, you could always add on some extra walking, or sitting when you get back home).
What is Wise Walk?
For 30 minutes/day for 366 days (2024 is a leap year), I’m going to listen to audio/video of a spiritual teacher while I’m walking.
How it works:
In a nutshell: I’ll curate 52 spiritual teachers (1 new teacher every week for 30 mins/day = 3.5 hours of teachings per teacher). It will be a sort of “spiritual sampler” to get a taste of a vast variety of teachings, and maybe you’ll even discover a new favorite teacher or two. I’ll build the suggested curriculum and source all the teachings from publicly available sources like YouTube, Spotify, etc. And, I’ll take timestamped screenshots of key teachings while walking and then transcribe/share takeaways when I get home. By joining, you get access to everything and participate in your own daily wise walks with me!
Sampling of spiritual teachers (final list TBD): Anthony de Mello, Tara Brach, Michael Singer, Pema Chödrön, Thich Nhat Hanh, Sharon Salzberg, Alan Watts, Joan Halifax, Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie, Ram Dass, Gangaji, Swami Sarvapriyananda, Joan Tollifson, Jiddu Krishnamurti, Diane Musho Hamilton, Rupert Spira, Ellen Emmet, Francis Lucille, Shakti Caterina Maggi, Jean Klein, Amoda Maa, Douglas Harding, Bernadette Roberts, Richard Lang, Dorothy Hunt, Adyashanti, Mukti, Richard Rohr, JetsĂĽn Khandro Rinpoche, A. H. Almaas, Pravrajika Divyanandaprana, Loch Kelly, Judith Blackstone, Jeff Foster, Miranda Macpherson, Rob Burbea, Cheri Huber, Joseph Goldstein, Neelam, Jack Kornfield, Jac O’Keeffe, Daniel Ingram, Cynthia Bourgeault, Eknath Easwaran, Sally Kempton, Shinzen Young, Soeng Hyang, Matthieu Ricard, Tenzin Palmo, Jon Kabat-Zinn, ShantiMayi, Tim Freke, Jessica Eve Nathanson, Henry Shukman, Ganga Mira, Sylvia Boorstien, Bon Yeon, Joko Beck, Dagmola Kusho Sakya, Thubten Chödron, Karma Lekshe Tsomo, Sangye Khandro, Tsultrim Allione, Chagdud Khadro, Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel, Emma Slade, Dhammananda Bhikkhuni, Ayya Sudhamma.
Everything will be shared in a private space within the Sloww Society community:
Sample week:
What are Wise Walkers saying?
“I am definitely in for the daily ‘Wise Walk’ in 2024. I think it’s a fantastic idea to combine meditation and exercise, and I’m excited to explore different teachings from spiritual teachers while walking. Additionally, the accountability and encouragement provided through the Sloww Society community is a great incentive. Count me in!”
Naya D.
Wise Walker“I’ve found myself craving my daily walk now, whether I’m listening or not. I’m also limiting myself to only listening to the ‘Wise Walk’ items this year and embracing other walking times as ‘music and podcast free.’ I am way more present and loving it.”
Zoë P.
Wise Walker“You are amazing, and your work means so much to me. If you are telling us that you will walk every day of the year, I gotta be supportive of this! You inspire me in many ways. Thank you so much.”
Katherine C.
Wise Walker“I would definitely be interested in this! Feels like an achievable and actionable way to get in two of my goals, similar to you.”
Jade E.
Wise Walker“Perfect! I’ve been thinking a lot about including walking in my life. This sounds like great way to achieve this. I’m in!”
Adam S.
Wise Walker“Love it. I’ve gotten to point where it’s the first priority each day because it gets mind and body off to a great start.”
Joseph K.
Wise Walker“I am DEFINITELY IN!! Thank you for the opportunity.”
Leah P.
Wise Walker“I’m all in! Daily walks are the very habit I planned to implement next. Add in ‘wise’ and ‘spiritual sampler’ and the Sloww community, and it sounds amazing … My daily walking habit has strengthened and I look forward to my daily dose of spiritual listening, whether the activities are together or separate. Noting the variations on the same message has been particularly helpful. Thank you for the daily highlights and weekly summaries as well. I appreciate them!”
Amber R.
Wise Walker“I already had a daily walking practice since I walk my pup a couple times a day, so it’s been really nice to make that ritual a bit more meaningful and add a layer of connection between the days of the week. I’m also grateful to have come across some teachers and ideas that I don’t have a great deal of exposure to, forcing me out of my comfort zone.”
Aashay M.
Wise Walker“I am interested in sharing your journey. I need the buddy system to hold myself accountable to meditate, exercise, eat whole foods, and sleep 8 hours. I am recently retired and searching for balance, and wise walking would help me focus. I plan to travel but balance is the key and wise walking would create a portable framework.”
Kelly C.
Wise Walker“I’ll end up doing a ‘wise walk’ because that’s where I’ve been headed with my walking. I regularly listen to podcasts; sometimes for knowledge, language learning or other. Thanks for the checkup, and the motivation to continue and journal my walks going forward.”
Larry F.
Wise Walker“I like it for the walking, spiritual learning, accountability, and community. You are also making it easier by providing teachers and summarizing takeaways. I’ll go for this.”
Rachel B.
Wise Walker“I would LOVE to participate in Wise Walk 2024! Walking and sharing positive healing thoughts with people from all walks and locations of the universe may be the missing link for me. I sent my thoughts out to the universe for opportunities to partake in that would aid in my healing and then received my first message (this invitation for the wise walk sent to me about 24 hours later). Thank you for all you do! I’m grateful for your energy and sharing this with the world!”
Stephanie R.
Wise Walker“I would love to do this! I generally do a 30 min walk midday but would love the curriculum you are thinking about to make these even more intentional.”
Matt K.
Wise Walker“I, for one, am looking forward to Wise Walk. Â The timing of what you created could not be more perfect. Thank you again, I truly appreciate it.”
Deborah E.
Wise Walker“Tough challenge. But got to start someplace. I think the 30 minute agreement, when it develops into a habit, will be very helpful.”
Verinder S.
Wise Walker“This is wonderful! Perfectly manageable and achievable. Thank you for doing this!”
Claire E.
Wise Walker“Thank you for this adventure, Kyle. This is just wonderful.”
Meredith B.
Wise Walker“I’m in, thank you! What a marvelous idea.”
Katherine F.
Wise WalkerFAQs:
What’s the cost?
- Wise Walk is only $95 for non-members, or $75 for Sloww Premium members (a coupon code is posted in the Sloww Society community). This gets you access to a private space in the Sloww Society community that will be used for real-time accountability and encouragement throughout the year, where I will share the upcoming teachings for the week and daily notes, a synthesis of the best-of-the-best teachings at the end of the year, etc. If you aren’t already a Sloww Premium member, you’ll get access to the other spaces in the Sloww Society community as well (just not the Premium content spaces).
When does it start/end?
- Wise Walk 2024 will run from Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024 (366 days since it’s a leap year). As a perk for those who sign up early, I’ve added a bonus week beginning on Dec 25, 2023 where we’ll explore Susanne Cook-Greuter’s incredibly life-changing work on ego development theory as a bridge between the psychological and spiritual. Non-Premium members who are participating will have access to the Sloww Society community (excluding Premium content areas) until Jan 15, 2025.
When should I walk?
- Whenever it works best for you. Personally, I’m going to try to build a habit of going right before or after lunch. Others may like morning walks, afternoon walks (when there’s a natural dip in afternoon energy), or evening walks. Some may even do three 10-minute walks (after meals), or two 15-minute walks at different times of the day.
Where should I walk?
- I created a 30-minute route directly around my house. For me, I want to reduce “decision fatigue” when it comes to where I’ll be walking each day, so I’m going to do the same route each time (although I can switch it up by reversing it). Others may prefer the opportunity to explore new areas/routes. Just stay safe out there!
How much will I walk?
- Right now, I’m able to walk just under 2 miles in 30 minutes (although my pace has been getting faster each walk). I’ve also tracked my steps on two different days, and it’s roughly ~3,500 steps. Pretty cool to do the math. In one week, that’s 14 extra miles of walking (24,500 steps). In a year (366 days for 2024), it will be 732 extra miles of walking (1,281,000 steps)!
Do I have to walk, or can I do a different activity (especially if it’s rainy/snowy outside)?
- Walking is what I’d say is the minimum viable activity, but it’s totally fine if you’d rather run, bike, or do something else. Remember, the ultimate aim is: growing wiser while moving more in 2024.
What if I miss a day?
- I’m sure some people will miss days throughout the year here and there based on personal schedules. No worries, you can either skip that day and pick up the next or go for a 60-minute walk the next day if you want to listen to the missed day’s teaching and catch up.
When will teachings be published, and what if I don’t like the teacher/teaching that day/week?
- My plan is to post the coming week’s teachings on Saturdays or Sundays. We’ll run each week beginning on Mondays (so a week is Mon-Sun). If a teacher/teaching doesn’t resonate, feel free to listen to something else of your own choosing that day/week. The curriculum I come up with can be considered “suggested teachings.”
Why not fewer teachers (e.g. 26 instead of 52)?
- I considered 26 teachers (biweekly), but I feel like one per week gives people something new to look forward to each week. If it was biweekly and someone doesn’t resonate with a teacher, that could be a long two-week grind until the next one.
How are teachers selected?
- I’m looking for primary source audio/video in the teacher’s own words (as opposed to documentaries about ancient/older teachers). Each teacher needs to have at least 3.5 hours of quality audio/video content (30 mins/day for 7 days). Audio/video content needs to be in the English language with clear audio quality that can be easily listened to while walking.
Who are the teachers?
- Final list is TBD, but here’s the gist: Anthony de Mello, Tara Brach, Michael Singer, Pema Chödrön, Thich Nhat Hanh, Sharon Salzberg, Alan Watts, Joan Halifax, Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie, Ram Dass, Gangaji, Swami Sarvapriyananda, Joan Tollifson, Jiddu Krishnamurti, Diane Musho Hamilton, Rupert Spira, Ellen Emmet, Francis Lucille, Shakti Caterina Maggi, Jean Klein, Amoda Maa, Douglas Harding, Bernadette Roberts, Richard Lang, Dorothy Hunt, Adyashanti, Mukti, Richard Rohr, JetsĂĽn Khandro Rinpoche, A. H. Almaas, Pravrajika Divyanandaprana, Loch Kelly, Judith Blackstone, Jeff Foster, Miranda Macpherson, Rob Burbea, Cheri Huber, Joseph Goldstein, Neelam, Jack Kornfield, Jac O’Keeffe, Daniel Ingram, Cynthia Bourgeault, Eknath Easwaran, Sally Kempton, Shinzen Young, Soeng Hyang, Matthieu Ricard, Tenzin Palmo, Jon Kabat-Zinn, ShantiMayi, Tim Freke, Jessica Eve Nathanson, Henry Shukman, Ganga Mira, Sylvia Boorstien, Bon Yeon, Joko Beck, Dagmola Kusho Sakya, Thubten Chödron, Karma Lekshe Tsomo, Sangye Khandro, Tsultrim Allione, Chagdud Khadro, Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel, Emma Slade, Dhammananda Bhikkhuni, Ayya Sudhamma.
Will we be listening to the same content/recordings you are?
- Yes, I will curate all teachers/teachings from publicly available sources like YouTube, Spotify, etc. That being said, streaming 30 mins/day of audio/video while walking could impact your phone’s data plan and battery life, so please be aware of this. I have some tips & tricks posted in the community regarding how to save data/battery with YouTube. If you have limited data each month, you may want to walk and then listen/watch at home on wifi before or after walking.
What if I’m having trouble staying consistent and motivated 3/6/9 months in?
- Share your struggles and leverage the community for accountability and encouragement!
This all sounds great, but what if I have buyer’s remorse and want a refund?
- No hard feelings. Send me an email at kyle(at)sloww(dot)co within 30 days of the initial purchase with your name, email address you used to sign up, and reason for the requested refund.
Have another question?
- Email me directly at kyle(at)sloww(dot)co.
