Learning by walking: four types of reflexive and embodied walks

Walking, what could be more natural?

Whether you're walking with a light heart or a preoccupied mind, connected to your phone or your environment, pursuing a goal or, as a flaneur, erring on the side of the stream... walking can take all sorts of forms...

• Walking in silence, focused on internal states
  
  Walking in silence is an introspective practice that enables you to refocus on your internal states. When you walk alone in silence, your attention naturally shifts inwards, to your breathing, the rhythm of your steps, or your bodily sensations. This type of walking encourages a return to oneself, a moment when we can observe our own flow of thoughts without interrupting them, simply letting them pass like clouds in the sky.
  
  According to Francisco Varela, this practice embodies a form of embodied cognition, where mind and body become one in a subtle dance with the immediate environment (Varela, Thompson & Rosch, 1993). By listening to their bodily sensations, learners become more aware of their connection to the living world, particularly through the ground they walk on, the air they breathe and the natural sounds that surround them.
  
  In groups, silent walking can create a collective atmosphere of meditation, where each individual, although physically surrounded, plunges into his or her inner space. Social interactions are put on hold, offering a space of silent cohabitation that allows each individual to explore their relationship with themselves while sharing a common experience.
  
  
• Socratic walking with a silent partner
  
  The Socratic walk, inspired by Socrates' method, is an exploratory approach in which two individuals walk side by side without necessarily exchanging verbally. The walk invites each person to question his or her own internal states in the presence of the other, but without direct interaction. What makes this practice singular is the dynamic of reflection that is created not through words, but through the simple co-presence of the other.
  
  Silence, in this context, becomes a form of implicit dialogue. Although this walk is inward, it includes an openness to the other: we become aware of our partner's movements, breathing and presence. It's a subtle form of synchronization, where minds connect without the mediation of words.
  
  The Socratic walk enriches the process of individual reflection by allowing an off-center gaze, while respecting a space of silence and intimate reflection. It also evokes the idea that learning is a silent co-construction, where the presence of the other acts as a catalyst to personal reflection (Carhart-Harris et al., 2014).
  
  
• Walking in presence: synchronizing steps and hearts
  
  Walking in presence is a form of deep connection with others. Unlike Socratic walking, here the relationship with the other is central. Steps harmonize, and a natural synchronization takes place, both physically and in terms of relationships. This synchronization goes beyond the rhythm of the steps: it's an emotional and energetic alignment with the other person.
  
  The simple act of walking together in the same movement can create a feeling of deep cohesion, a form of non-verbal connection where bodies seem to be in dialogue. Learning to walk together is a matter of paying attention to the relationship. Every movement of the other becomes a mirror of our own actions and thoughts. Walking in presence pushes us out of our individuality and into a collective dynamic, where the other becomes an echo of ourselves.
  
  This is in line with the idea of embodied social cognition (Gallese, 2005), where understanding and synchronization of the other is not achieved through language, but through the body. In a group, this walk takes on an even stronger dimension, as each individual adjusts to the collective rhythm, creating a spontaneous choreography of bodies in motion.
  
  
• Conscious walking: focused on an intention
  
  Finally, mindful walking differs from other types of walking in its emphasis on intention. Here, the learner deliberately chooses to focus on a specific intention: it could be a goal of reflection, a quest for clarity on a problem or a search for connection with nature. Each step then becomes a manifestation of that intention, and attention remains focused on the deeper meaning of the walk.
  
  This walk is both an active meditation and a cognitive exploration, where the outer and inner environments meet in a process of conscious learning. Walking with intention helps to structure thoughts and give meaning to movement.
  
  In a group, walking takes on a collaborative dimension, where everyone can share the same intention or explore different facets of the same collective goal. Varela describes this type of experience as total immersion, where the individual becomes fully aware of the present moment, his environment and his link to the living (Varela et al., 1993). It's an approach in which walking becomes a meaningful act, and the learner gradually draws closer to nature and others, forging deeper links with the living.

The nuances of walking alone, in pairs, in a group or with a donkey

These four types of walk offer a wide range of learning nuances. Walking alone enables deep introspection, where you can explore your internal states without external distraction. In pairs, walking becomes an experience of co-presence, where the other, even if silent, plays an essential role in the process of reflection. In a group, walking takes on a collective dimension, where the harmonization of steps and energies creates a shared learning space.

But another form of walking, increasingly explored in educational and therapeutic contexts, is that carried out with an animal companion, particularly a donkey. Walking with a donkey offers a whole new dynamic: it introduces a living being who, while outside the human group, participates in the learning process.

The donkey, with its slow, steady pace, imposes a different, often more sedate tempo, encouraging walkers to adapt, slow down and listen to the animal's natural rhythm. The relationship with the donkey adds another dimension, that of the non-human living being, inviting a different, more holistic form of attention, in touch with nature and the environment. By walking with a donkey, learning becomes even more embodied: walkers must be attentive not only to their own bodies and those of their human companions, but also to that of the animal, its needs and its reactions.

This approach opens up new ways of thinking about our relationship with living things, and how we can learn from these interactions, by anchoring ourselves in a different temporality - that of nature, of the animal, and of the slower pace of accompanied walking.

Illustration: Elisa - Pixabay

Sources

Carhart-Harris, R. L., Erritzoe, D., Haijen, E., Kaelen, M., & Watts, R. (2014). Psychedelics and the essential importance of context. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 28(8), 725-731.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29446697/

Gallese, V. (2005). Embodied simulation: From neurons to phenomenal experience. Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, 4(1), 23-48.

Varela, F. J., Thompson, E., & Rosch, E. (1993). The Embodied Mind: Cognitive Science and Human Experience. MIT Press.
https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262720212/the-embodied-mind/