This post is the first in a series in which we will explore the deep connection between walking and common sense. At first glance, they might seem like unrelated concepts, but upon closer analysis, we discover that walking is not only a physical exercise, but also an act of thought, reflection and orientation in life. When we stop walking, we not only lose movement, but we also run the risk of losing mental clarity, perspective, and in many cases, common sense.
Walking: A Common Sense Practice
If we think about our evolution, walking has been one of the most essential and logical actions for human survival. It has allowed us to explore, communicate, move around and, above all, think. However, in modern times, sedentary lifestyles and technological dependence have displaced this habit to the point of making it almost a rarity in many societies. What was once an obvious action is now a conscious choice, almost a luxury. Isn’t it paradoxical that we have to remember something as natural as walking?
Common sense tells us that moving is necessary, that the body is designed for it, that our mind benefits from physical activity and that our thoughts flow better to the rhythm of our steps (Posts EMPIRICISM OR THINKING WITH ONE’s FEET; RHYTHM, COMPASS AND CADENCE IN OUR WALKING). However, millions of people choose to ignore this basic knowledge, trapped in the inertia of comfort and disconnection with their own nature.
Walking as a Tool for Reflection
Historically, great thinkers have used walking as a method to organize their ideas. Kant walked the streets of Königsberg with the same precision with which he structured his philosophy. Nietzsche assured that “the best thoughts come when I walk” (Future Post NIETZSCHE AND THE GREEKS IN WALKING). Aristotle imparted his teachings while walking with his disciples, giving rise to the peripatetic school (Posts WALKING AND PERIPATHETICS; ARISTOTLE AND HIS SPEECHES DURING HIS PERIPATHETIC WALKS).
Why this connection between walking and thinking? Because movement activates the mind. Walking breaks rigidity, allows for contemplation of the environment and gives us the feeling of moving forward, not only physically, but also in our ideas. It is in the act of walking that we often find answers, new perspectives and practical solutions to everyday problems (Posts THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM ENCOURAGE CREATIVE THINKING. PART I; and THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM AND COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE).
The Loss of Common Sense in a Static World
Today, sedentarism has become the norm. Technology, instead of being a complementary tool, has replaced many of our essential functions. The ability to make simple decisions, to read the context, to find solutions without depending on devices, seems to have weakened. When the body stops walking, the mind also stagnates (Post NOT WALKING IS LIKE TURNING INTO A SWAMP). The connection with space, with time, with tangible reality is lost. Common sense, that ability to discern what is logical and practical in everyday life, is affected by the lack of movement.
Getting Your Rhythm Back, Getting Your Mind Back
It’s not just about exercising. It’s about getting back a way of living that makes us more aware (Future Post MINDFULNESS AND WALKING, A PERFECT SYNERGY PART 1 OF 3), more balanced (Post THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM) and more lucid (Posts THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM ENCOURAGE CREATIVE THINKING. PART I; and THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM AND COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE). Walking is, in many ways, a reminder of what’s essential. It gives us back control over our own movement, it allows us to observe, think and feel reality without digital filters.
In the next few posts in this series, we will explore how walking influences decision making, mental clarity, and regaining common sense in a world that seems to have lost it.
Final reflections:
Wouldn’t it be common sense to walk more, rather than relying exclusively on vehicles? Your answer would be titled: Walking as an exercise in common sense.
To what extent does walking enhance our ability to apply common sense in everyday life? One answer would be titled: Walking as an act of reflection and mental clarity.
Do expressions like “taking the right path,” “following a logical path,” or “losing our way” warn us that making common sense decisions is similar to choosing a suitable route when walking? Your answer would be titled: Various paths lead us to common sense.
How many times have we felt that our common sense advises us to take a walk, which would help us put our thoughts in order and make better decisions? One answer would be under the title: Common sense as a “path” in decision making.
Could it be that sedentary and digital life has made us lose both the habit of walking and the use of common sense? The answer to this would be: Modern disconnection and the loss of common sense.
We all need answers, but, for now, the best reflection is simple: go for a walk. Move. Recover your own rhythm and see how, step by step, common sense returns to you.
I invite you to take a walk with Common Sense through the pages of my essay-novel, entitled: The Dionysian Common Sense. Essay on a Novel. Available on Amazon, Kindle Edition: https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0DZWGW3ZV