Silent into Nature: Factors Enabling Improvement in a Mindful Walking Retreat in Nature of People with Psychological Symptoms
Ecopsychology April 11, 2018 Rhoda Schuling, Nina van Herpen, Reinier de Nooij et al. 15 citations
Factors that make a mindful walking retreat effective include encountering nature, negotiating obstacles, the walk's duration, and walking in silence. The retreat followed a largely unpaved route along a lowland river and estuary in the Netherlands, where participants made their own choices to find their way. Most participants had a history of depression. Interviews, along with diary and questionnaire data, were analyzed through iterative coding to identify these conducive factors. The findings can help design effective walking retreats and support offering mindful walking retreats as a regular part of mindfulness programs.