In the astonishing treatise by Juan Huarte de San Juan, The Examination of Men’s Wits (1575), we find a fascinating reflection on a historical and biblical phenomenon: the pilgrimage of the people of Israel through the desert for forty years and their sustenance on manna fallen from heaven. According to Huarte, this prolonged journey and this peculiar food did not merely sustain the Hebrew people physically; they profoundly transformed their mental capacities, especially their intelligence and creativity. What exactly happened? And what can we learn from it today?
Huarte first observes that the captivity in Egypt, with its years of suffering and oppression, may have ignited in the Israelites a “burnt-up choler” (cólera requemada)—a product of helplessness and a psychic energy that he links directly to the emergence of cunning, sagacity, and “solercia” (the mental skill for problem-solving). But the true alchemy of the intellect, Huarte argues, occurs during the pilgrimage: forty years of walking through the aridity of the desert, feeding solely on a subtle, light, and celestial delicacy: manna.
Manna, according to both biblical and naturalist descriptions, was white, delicate like coriander seed, tasted like honey, and was warm in nature with extremely fine components. It was a light, almost ethereal food that required little digestion from the body and, therefore, allowed the soul—according to Renaissance physiology—greater freedom to engage in the higher functions of understanding. For Huarte, this dietary regimen notably favored the development of the Jewish people’s intellectual capacities. In his own words: “the Hebrews became of very sharp wit” (Posts WALKING THROUGT THE DESERT; WALKING WITH GENIUS, ACCORDING TO HUARTE).
But it wasn’t just the manna. The geographical environment also played its part. Huarte explains that sterile and arid regions, like the desert where the Israelites wandered, produce more ingenious men, while fertile and abundant lands—like Egypt or the Promised Land—generate robust bodies but duller understandings. This assertion, also held by ancient authors such as Galen or Aristotle, connects the physical environment with mental dispositions in a sort of early epigenetics that still resonates with certain contemporary theories.
And it is here that I wish to add a personal reflection: if we accept that the manna and the environment contributed to elevating the intelligence of the Jews in the desert, we must also consider the role of movement—of walking as a founding experience. Walking for forty years is not just about moving from one place to another; it is a way of thinking with the body. It is rhythm, contemplation, observation of the world, and a continuous flow of ideas to the beat of one’s steps. Perhaps the true miracle of the desert was that perfect confluence of light food, an arid environment, and constant walking. A natural laboratory for mental acuity.
One must wonder then: would that elevation of ingenuity have been possible without the daily walking? Could something similar be repeated today? Is there an epigenetic trace, an inherited memory, that still inhabits certain peoples with long histories of migration, suffering, and displacement?
Perhaps. We have no definitive proof, but we should not dismiss the powerful intuitions that cross history, physiology, spirituality, and culture. What is certain is that the act of walking remains, today as much as yesterday, a path toward a clearer, more creative, and deeper mind.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION:
In an increasingly sedentary, computerized world fed on heavy diets, remembering the spiritual and intellectual diet of the desert can be more than a literary exercise. Walk every day. Eat lightly. Seek out spaces of austerity where your mind can sharpen rather than grow dull. You don’t need forty years in the desert to elevate your wit. Sometimes, forty minutes a day outdoors, without distractions, letting yourself be guided by your own steps, is enough.
Walking doesn’t just move the body. It moves the soul. And—as Huarte taught—it can also move the wit. So, let’s be “solercios” (skilled, dexterous) and demonstrate that ability and ease of taking our walks every day, for 30 minutes.
On the board of life, as in chess, every step we take brings us closer to a new possibility. We walk between invisible squares, between decisions that seem minor but that, in their accumulation, determine our destiny.
The novel Chaturanga: Ludus Aeternus (1) reminds us that life itself is a game of strategy, movement, and transformation. Inspired by the ancient game of Chaturanga, the precursor of modern chess, this story immerses us in a world where each piece has a role, each move a meaning and each sacrifice a lesson.
But what does this have to do with walking? Everything.
Chess: A Game of Walkers
If we look closely, all the chess pieces walk:
• The Pawn advances with patience and determination, reminding us that the longest journey begins with a single step.
• The Knight teaches us that sometimes moving forward requires moving in zigzags, leaving the straight line and exploring other angles.
• The Queen walks with power and freedom, dominating the board with the confidence of someone who has traveled many roads.
• The Bishop advances diagonally, finding hidden paths that others do not see, like someone who follows less-traveled paths in life.
• Even the King, limited in his movement, continues to advance until the last moment.
• The Rook seems rigid in its walk, but if we look back, in the original Chaturanga it was not a stone tower: it was an elephant, a symbol of strength and endurance in walking.
Just as the pieces move on the board, we advance on the board of life. Every day is a move, every decision a movement, and every step a conquest.
Walking: Strategy and Discovery
The act of walking is a perfect metaphor for chess: it requires attention, strategy, and adaptation. It’s not just about moving, it’s about advancing with intention. Walking forces us to observe our surroundings, to calculate distances, to modify our route according to the terrain or circumstances.
Just like in chess, when we walk we learn to:
✅ Be patient, like the Pawn, moving forward steadily.
✅ Be unpredictable, like the Knight, daring to take alternative paths.
✅ Be strategic, like the Queen, choosing when to speed up and when to stop.
✅ Be resilient, like the King, understanding that the game is not over until the last move.
Ludus Aeternus: The Path Has No End
The novel Chaturanga: Ludus Aeternus shows us that the game never really ends. Each ending is a new beginning. And the same goes for walking: we never stop learning, exploring, moving forward.
Soon, in addition to the book, you will be able to enjoy an animated short film based on this story, which will bring this metaphor to the screen with images and symbolism that invite reflection.
For now, keep moving forward. Because life, like chess, is a game of walkers.
We have already mentioned that walks should be done in a natural and normal way, however, on this occasion I would like to incorporate certain elements of coordination and thought to perform these 6 exercises inspired by the way chess pieces “walk”. Some of them should be done by making some – small – alterations in our natural walk.
I will briefly try to outline, through diagrams, how we should walk following the guidelines and rules of the chess pieces.
GENERAL
All pieces except the knight move in a straight line, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally. The edge of the chessboard cannot be crossed. No piece except the knight can jump over another piece to move. A move cannot end on a square occupied by a piece of the same color.
PAWN
A pawn moves vertically along the column it is on, without being able to move backwards. On the first move, from the starting point, it can move forward two squares and from there, one square at a time.
To capture a piece, a pawn must move one square diagonally forward, either to the left or to the right. It cannot capture in a straight line, unlike how it moves without capturing.
A pawn cannot move backwards.
BISHOP
The bishop moves diagonally, both up and down, and can move any number of squares in a single move, as long as there are no other pieces blocking its path.
KNIGHT
The knight in chess moves in an “L” shape, advancing two squares in one direction (horizontally or vertically) and then one square perpendicularly, or vice versa, and is the only piece that can jump over other pieces.
ROOK OR TOWER
The rook in chess moves in a straight line, both horizontally and vertically, along any number of unoccupied squares, that is, it can move any number of squares in a single move, as long as there are no other pieces blocking its path. It cannot jump over other pieces.
KING
The king moves one square in any direction (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally) and can capture enemy pieces in the same way.
QUEEN
The queen moves any number of squares in a straight line, both horizontally and vertically (like the rook), and diagonally (like the bishop), without jumping over other pieces. It can move any number of squares in a single move, as long as there are no other pieces blocking its path.
This post is closely related to several of the posts dealing with the “physical body”, explaining and applying the concepts of symmetry, rhythm, cadence, beat, and harmony.
All of these chess “sequences” mentioned and illustrated must be performed while walking in a safe and comfortable manner, although some of them have a certain degree of difficulty, which will precisely impact some of the senses, both internal and external, and some alterations regarding body parts, so they must be performed carefully; that is, while these exercises are being performed, the arms, hands and senses – mainly sight (eyes) and orientation – are put into motion, assigning them certain additional efforts, which can affect the proprioceptive capacity of the person performing them.
With these analogical exercises I intend for you to have a renewing experience, which is achieved through the change in attention and the way of walking. We have already mentioned on other occasions that the symbolism of walking is to abstract from external conditioning, to let thoughts flow towards the inner self, achieving this analogy with the 6 chess pieces that have walked for millennia.
In order to underline these benefits in one of our external senses, hearing, and according to my experience, when we make some movements out of the ordinary, as these conformities can be considered, we certainly activate the vestibular system sending signals to the brain to recover (or maintain) balance. With age it becomes more difficult to maintain or recover balance because the small organs of the ear harden. The degree or intensity of this type of movements is what must be taken into account so that these “chess-like” exercises are applied safely and effectively, while we walk.
General procedures for walking in a chess-like manner
The first thing we need to know is that we can do these ways of walking however we like. The results will not vary much. It is not necessary to have a square on which to walk. Each step we take will be equivalent to one square on the board.
“Pawn” Walk
Looking at the diagram above, we see that there are only 3 possibilities. Walking forward with one or two steps. If it is with a single step, with the right foot –for example- you can synchronize it by joining it with the left. Stopping.
Walking to the right or left, results in an identical way: We can do it in 2 ways: Turning our body completely 45 degrees and walking forward. Continuing in the same way as in the first case. The other way is to walk diagonally, forcing our body to do it in an asymmetrical way.
“Rook” Walk
Looking at the diagram above, we see that there are only 4 possibilities. 1) Walking forward with one or more steps; 2) Walking backwards. This can be done in two ways, turning the whole body 180 degrees, and walking forward, and walking backwards; 3) Walk to the right, and this has two possibilities: walk sideways, or turn your whole body 90 degrees, and walk forward; 4) Walk to the left, and this has two possibilities: walk sideways, or turn your whole body 90 degrees, and walk forward.
“Knight” Walk
Looking at the respective diagram we see that there are only 8 possibilities. 1 and 2) “Front” position: it is done in the same way for the left as for the right, maintaining the respective orientation. Two steps forward and one step to the right are taken, turning the body 90 degrees or not, or turning it to the side. 3 and 4) “Right” position: it is done by turning the whole body 90 degrees to the right and repeating the “front” position, or it can be done sideways. 5 and 6) “Left” position: it is done by turning the whole body 90 degrees to the left and repeating the “front” position, or it can be done sideways. 7 and 8) “Back” position: This walk can be done completely backwards, or it can be done by turning the whole body 180 degrees, and repeating the “front” position.
“Bishop” Walk
Looking at the respective diagram we see that there are only 4 possibilities. Walking asymmetrically following a diagonal at 45 degrees, or turning the whole body 45 degrees and walking forward. The other possibilities can be done by walking backwards, or turning the whole body as necessary to walk forward.
“Queen” Walk
This can be done in 8 different ways. Either forward, sideways, diagonally or backwards.
“King” Walk
This can be done in 8 different ways just like the “Queen” Walk but only one step at a time. Either forward, sideways, diagonally or backwards.
All steps can be performed without having to immediately perform the second step. If it is a single step, with the right foot –for example- you can synchronize it by joining it with the left foot. You pause and perform the next step in the same way. Keep in mind that this rhythm is set by our body.
Measure (Compass) 1: Right step, left step, right step, and right step reaches it. And the rhythm restarts.
Measure (Compass) 2: Right step, then left step, and right step reaches it. And the rhythm restarts.
Measure (Compass) 3: Right step, left step, right step, left step, and right step reaches it. And the rhythm restarts.
Measure (Compass) 4: Right step, left step, right step, left step, and right step reaches it. And the rhythm restarts.
And so on. Choose the rhythm that is natural for each of us.
Let’s organize our walks by incorporating some movement of the chess pieces. The results are immediate, because apart from walking we become more interested in what chess is and has been in the history of humanity.
(1) I invite you to take a walk through the pages of my novel, entitled: Chaturanga: Ludus Aeternus. Available on Amazon, Kindle Edition: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GNLCB6GW
Other times, while we are going through a difficult stage, an inner transformation, or a silent search that we don’t even know how to explain.
Then, it appears:
A sentence.
An idea.
An author.
A symbol.
A meaningful coincidence impossible to ignore.
And we realize that perhaps books are also walking toward us.
For several years now, at WALKREADANDWRITE.COM, we have begun to observe something very specific among many “walking readers”:
Certain encounters between people, readings, emotions, routes, memories, and decisions seem to form unexpected patterns of meaning.
Carl Gustav Jung called this: SYNCHRONICITY.
But beyond a psychological definition, Synchronicity seems to be becoming an emerging cultural experience today: a different way of connecting knowledge, intuition, human movement, creativity, and consciousness.
Perhaps that is why, within the universe that is slowly beginning to be built around:
And the CIRCLE OF READERS IN MOTION AND WITHOUT BARRIERS (CIM)
Synchronicity has begun to occupy a very special place.
Because walking changes our perception.
And reading transforms our interpretation of the world.
When both experiences unite (SWS), invisible relationships begin to emerge between:
books,
people,
paths,
ideas,
imagination,
and the precise moment when something significant appears before us.
Perhaps the future of reading will be neither solely digital nor solely physical.
Perhaps it will be:
mobile,
shared,
hybrid,
international,
free at many levels,
assisted by Artificial Intelligence (Synchronicity Walk System: SWS),
and deeply human at the same time.
The books on Synchronicity presented here are the source of this new application, which you can now access: https://elcaminante-sqngk36.public.builtwithrocket.new
That is precisely what we are beginning to explore step by step from this new cultural vision taking shape around EMULISA NEOBIBBLOS: an open platform where walking, reading, writing, imagining, and sharing knowledge can integrate as a single experience.
Curiously, many of the books developed within EMULISA have begun to connect with each other around the phenomenon of Synchronicity.
Some explore:
depth psychology,
creativity,
symbolic architecture,
Mayan culture,
Artificial Intelligence,
consciousness,
art,
philosophical fiction,
and the invisible connections between human events.
Among them are:
SYNCHRONICITY: A PREDICTABLE PHENOMENON
SYNCHRONICITY IN THE ANCIENT MAYANS
ACTIVE ARCHITECTURAL SYNCHRONICITY
WALKING WITH SYNCHRONICITY STEP BY STEP
EVANESCENT TALES
ACRONISM: TIMELY CREATION IN ART
DIRECTED SYNCHRONICITY IN THE AGE OF TOXIC REALISM AND A.I.
SYNCHRONICITY AND PROPORTIONALISM
THE GREAT COLLAPSE OF THE ABSURD
ON THE WINGS OF THE MOÁN: SYNCHRONISTIC MECHANICS
You can access them below, as they are available on Amazon, Kindle Edition.
EMULISA Publications
Loya opategui, Carlos, On the Wings of the Moán, The Synchronicity Mechanics, EMULISA, México 2026, Available on Amazon, Kindle Editon:
It explains synchronicity as an unconscious force that guides our decisions and reveals internal messages through meaningful coincidences, proposing its understanding as a guide to self-knowledge and destiny.
Loya opategui, Carlos, THE GREAT COLLAPSE OF THE ABSURD, EMULISA, México 2026, Available on Amazon, Kindle Editon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXS4X5JF
When the universe grows tired of logic, chaos becomes its new order. Two eccentric thinkers—Tina Stein and Cal Young—try to restore sense to the cosmos in crisis. Mixing humor, physics, and metaphysics, this novel celebrates the beauty of nonsense and the creativity born from collapse.
Loya opategui, Carlos, SYNCHRONICITY AND PROPORTIONALISM: COINCIDENCE OR MEANINGFUL PROPORTION?, EMULISA, México 2026, Available on Amazon, Kindle Editon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GH9CRHYM
A contemporary reinterpretation of synchronicity that expands on Jung’s proposition through the lens of complexity theory and fractality. The essay introduces the concept of proportionality as an organizing principle of meaning, exploring how certain events acquire significance beyond linear causality or mere chance.
Loya opategui, Carlos, DIRECTED SYNCHRONICITY IN THE ERA OF TOXIC REALISM AND A.I., EMULISA, México 2026, Available on Amazon, Kindle Editon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQHC63SZ
A groundbreaking exploration of synchronicity as an active and ethically guided practice in the age of Artificial Intelligence. Integrating symbolic psychology, Toxic Realism, and emerging technologies, this essay proposes that meaningful coincidences can be anticipated and consciously cultivated, transforming synchronicity into a tool for creativity, self-knowledge, and responsible personal evolution.
Loya opategui, Carlos, ACRONISM: THE OPPORTUNE CREATION IN ART, EMULISA, México 2026, Available on Amazon, Kindle Editon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK3XZSY5
Explores the idea of the “right moment” for artistic creation. Merging intuition, synchronicity, and AI, it reveals how time, inspiration, and technology converge to shape the destiny of every artwork.
Loya opategui, Carlos, Evanescent Stories, EMULISA, México 2026, Available on Amazon, Kindle Editon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B86GMS8W
A collection of twenty-five stories exploring the dialogue between the conscious and unconscious. Through symbolic and poetic language, the author reveals the fragile boundary between dream and reality in the human psyche.
Loya opategui, Carlos, WALKING WITH SYNCHRONICITY STEP BY STEP. WORKBOOK, EMULISA, México 2026, Available on Amazon, Kindle Editon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQW7FLKD
A practical and experiential companion to the study of synchronicity, designed to transform walking into a conscious, symbolic, and transformative act. Through guided exercises, reflective templates, and symbolic mapping, this workbook invites readers to recognize, facilitate, and ethically activate meaningful coincidences in daily life, turning each step into an opportunity for self-knowledge and inner alignment.
Loya opategui, Carlos, ACTIVE ARCHITECTURAL SYNCHRONICITY, EMULISA, México 2026, Available on Amazon, Kindle Editon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FYYHGNF9
This essay proposes that spaces can evoke experiences of meaning and synchronicity in human consciousness. Integrating depth psychology, the philosophy of symbols, and spatial theory, it introduces the concept of Architectural Active Synchronicity (AAS). Architecture ceases to be merely functional and becomes a mediator of meaning. This text redefines design as a catalyst for inner and collective transformation.
Most of these works also exist in Spanish, allowing this cultural exploration to gradually extend to readers in different parts of the world.
Perhaps we are only seeing the beginning of something larger: a new relationship between reading, human mobility, digital communities, collective creativity, and Artificial Intelligence.
And perhaps the CIRCLE OF READERS IN MOTION is not just an initiative for walking readers.
Perhaps, over time, it will become an international human network where people find each other again through:
books,
walks,
ideas,
meaningful coincidences,
and the desire to imagine new forms of culture for the future together.
Because sometimes, walking is also a way of reading the world (“The Hidden Language of the Feet”, Available on Amazon, Kindle Edition: https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0FNLVXSWP).
And some readings seem to have been waiting for us long before we even opened the book.
Regarding the Rarámuri, scientific evidence points to a fascinating combination of culture, lifestyle, historical adaptation, bodily knowledge passed down through generations, and a daily relationship with mountains and long distances. All of this has allowed them to develop an extraordinary physical and mental efficiency for movement on foot—something the modern world is only just beginning to rediscover and value.
In August 2022, I learned the etymology of the word Rarámuri, which is usually interpreted as “The Light-Footed People.” At that time, I decided to write a post about this extraordinary people; however, due to various circumstances, the project was put on hold. Curiously, years earlier I had published a book(1) mentioning numerous indigenous peoples who were partially or totally destroyed—first during the Spanish Conquest and later by various historical processes that ended up erasing much of their legacy. The Rarámuri, fortunately, resisted. And they did more than just resist: they preserved an essential part of their identity linked to walking, running, and a deep relationship with their territory.
MARÍA LORENA RAMÍREZ AND THE PEOPLE OF THE LIGHT FEET
A footprint that deserves to endure
As I have noted, nearly four years ago I scheduled an article for this blog about an extraordinary people from northern Mexico. I scheduled it, took some notes, imagined a few paragraphs… and I never got around to writing it.
Today I understand that perhaps I was waiting for the right moment.
That moment has arrived.
I want to talk about the Rarámuri.
Or, rather, about the people who call themselves Rarámuri, a word often interpreted as “those of the light feet” or “those who run light.” A name that seems born of legend, but in reality describes a way of life.
In a world where we walk less and less, where even the shortest trips are made in vehicles, and where physical inactivity has become a global epidemic, the Rarámuri continue to remind us of something essential: the human body was born to move.
And from among them, a woman has emerged who has carried that message to the farthest corners of the planet.
Her name is María Lorena Ramírez.
In 2017, María Lorena participated in the Ultra Trail Cerro Rojo ultramarathon, held in Puebla. The race covered fifty kilometers of mountainous terrain and drew approximately five hundred runners from twelve countries. Many arrived equipped with the latest sports technology: smartwatches, hydration systems, technical clothing, specialized poles, and expensive shoes designed for difficult terrain.
María Lorena arrived differently.
She wore the traditional clothing of her people: a long, colorful skirt, a headscarf, and simple sandals—huaraches—crafted from recycled tire soles.
She carried nothing extraordinary.
Or, rather, she carried something extraordinary that no one could see.
She carried centuries of walking culture.
She carried mountains traversed since childhood.
She carried paths learned long before roads.
She carried an intimate relationship with the earth.
And she won.
She covered the fifty kilometers in just over seven hours, crossing the finish line ahead of all her competitors. She did it without the accessories that many consider indispensable for a feat of that magnitude. She carried little more than a bottle of water.
The world was surprised.
The Rarámuri, likely, were not.
For them, running long distances is not a fad.
It is a tradition.
It is a form of communication with the land.
It is part of their identity.
Long before modern marathons, electronic stopwatches, or major sports brands existed, the Rarámuri were already traversing vast distances between the canyons, mountains, and trails of the Sierra Madre Occidental.
María Lorena’s victory was not an isolated event.
Before that famous race, she had already achieved significant results, including a second-place finish in the demanding 100-kilometer Caballo Blanco ultramarathon, one of the most iconic competitions in Chihuahua.
Over the years, her story traveled the world.
She was the subject of the documentary Lorena, Light-Footed Woman, which was distributed internationally, and she became a symbol of resistance, humility, and authenticity.
But the most admirable thing is that, after the fame, María Lorena remained María Lorena.
She continued living in her community.
She continued tending to her animals.
She continued walking the same old paths.
She continued wearing her huaraches.
She continued being Rarámuri.
And perhaps therein lies the deepest lesson.
Because the modern world tends to associate success with the transformation of the individual.
The Rarámuri seem to teach us the opposite.
Sometimes true success consists of not forgetting who we are.
As a walker, reader, and writer, I find an inevitable reflection in this story.
For years, I have defended the idea that walking is not merely a means of transport or a physical activity.
Walking is a way of thinking.
A way of knowing.
A way of creating.
A way of relating to the world.
The Rarámuri seem to have preserved that ancestral truth that many societies have been losing.
While we look for apps to count our steps, they continue to make every step a way of life.
While we turn walking into exercise, they preserve it as culture.
While we seek to return to nature, they never separated from it.
I do not know if the Rarámuri were born to walk long distances.
Perhaps the correct question is different.
What happens to a people who, for centuries, turn walking and running into part of their collective identity?
Perhaps exactly this happens:
People like María Lorena Ramírez emerge.
Women capable of reminding the world that human endurance is not always born of technology.
That strength does not always need a spectacle.
That greatness can present itself in a traditional skirt, sandals made of recycled tires, and a serene smile upon crossing the finish line.
Today, finally, that pending article finds its way.
And I am glad it is so.
Because some stories deserve to be told.
But some deserve to leave a footprint.
And the footprint of the Rarámuri has been traveling the mountains of Mexico for centuries.
Perhaps the time has come for the rest of the world to learn how to follow it.
I believe this text fits perfectly with the spirit of WALKREADANDWRITE.COM because it does not limit itself to narrating a sporting victory; it transforms it into a reflection on walking as culture, identity, and a way of life. Furthermore, it speaks to one of the central ideas we have defended for years: that walking is much more than moving from one place to another. It is a way of inhabiting the world. And few peoples have embodied that idea with as much strength as the Rarámuri.
There is something exceptional about the Rarámuri people that deserves to be recognized and preserved. But that exceptionality should not be understood as a matter of biological superiority, but as the result of an extraordinary convergence of territory, culture, tradition, learning from childhood, mental fortitude, and a daily relationship with movement that has endured for centuries.
Seen from this perspective, María Lorena Ramírez’s journey takes on an even greater dimension. She does not appear as an isolated exception or a fluke, but as a contemporary expression of a deeply rooted cultural heritage.
It also seems significant to me that this article is seeing the light of day after remaining pending since 2022. Sometimes texts find their own moment to be written, and I suspect this is one of them. María Lorena’s story dialogues naturally with many of the ideas we have explored for years at WALKREADANDWRITE.COM: walking as a fundamental human activity, as a form of knowledge, as a tool for freedom, and as a permanent bond between people and the land.
Perhaps many readers will discover the admirable story of María Lorena Ramírez here. But I hope they also discover something more: the silent greatness of the Rarámuri, a people who have known how to preserve, generation after generation, one of the oldest and deepest capacities of the human being: that of moving through the world following the rhythm of one’s own steps.
Progress consists of remembering
that which we should never have abandoned.
(1) Loya Lopategui, Carlos, “PUEBLO QUIETO, Las Caídas de la Libertad”, EMULISA, Mexico, 2015.
Today marks 30 days since our Call to Action. I congratulate everyone who has made the effort to walk every day in their own environment, at their own pace, and of course, as part of this same great Movement.
This inquiry arose while I was drafting an essay on yawning (1), developed during March 2026. To attempt to answer this question, I have revisited some basic concepts from that essay, now orienting them toward the activity of walking—especially within the observations made over more than eight years regarding the WALK-RWD System.
I) GENERAL ASPECTS
1. What is yawning?
Yawning is a complex, largely involuntary neurophysiological response that involves:
Deep and prolonged inhalation
Wide opening of the mouth
Stretching of facial, cervical, and thoracic muscles
Occasional tearing, slight vocalization, or closing of the eyes
Slow and gradual exhalation
It is not merely a respiratory action. Yawning is, in reality, a total body event. For centuries, it was believed that its primary function was to compensate for a lack of oxygen. Today, this explanation is considered insufficient and has been widely questioned: “…that yawning is not a symptom of exhaustion, but an active manifestation of internal reorganization”.
2. How is it generated?
Yawning frequently appears during transitions between different mental and bodily states:
From wakefulness to sleep
From passivity to activity
From diffuse attention to concentration
From stress toward relaxation
Today, it is considered a multi-causal phenomenon involving various systems of the body:
Activation of the hypothalamus
Involvement of the limbic system
Intervention of neurotransmitters such as:
Dopamine
Oxytocin
Serotonin
Acetylcholine
Yawning seems to function as a mechanism for internal reorganization and readjustment: “…yawning does not appear as a consequence of wear and tear, but as an indication of a transition towards a state of greater equilibrium”.
3. How does it support the body and mind?
a) Brain thermoregulation
One of the most accepted hypotheses proposes that yawning helps slightly cool the brain, thereby improving its functional efficiency and regulating brain temperature before a change in activity. This point is particularly important because it begins to directly link yawning with walking.
b) Neurophysiological regulation
Yawning also appears to participate in processes of:
Reactivation of attention
Release of accumulated tension
Reorganization of fatigued neural circuits
Adjustment of the autonomic nervous system
In many cases, it appears precisely when the organism is attempting to regain balance.
c) Social function
Yawning is contagious among human beings and various social animals. This suggests its relationship with:
Empathy
Group synchronicity
Collective coherence
Unconscious emotional communication
Even such a common gesture seems to contain deeply integrated biological and social dimensions.
4. General benefits of yawning
We can group its benefits into four main levels:
i) Physical–Respiratory Level: Stretches underused muscles, momentarily increases cerebral blood flow, encourages respiratory mobilization, and activates thoracic and cervical regions.
ii) Neurological Level: Reactivates attention, facilitates cognitive phase changes, interrupts states of mental fatigue, and functions as a partial neurophysiological “restart.”
iii) Emotional–Mental Level: Reduces internal micro-tensions, appears during boredom, mild anxiety, or saturation, and functions as an emotional discharge valve.
iv) Social–Symbolic Level: Synchronizes collective states, marks group pauses, and humanizes shared presence.
“…yawning could be interpreted as a form of communication from the bodily unconscious: a gesture that signals processes of integration, release, or preparation, and that emerges precisely at the thresholds where something changes. It is no coincidence that it appears in moments of transition, when the organism leaves one state behind and prepares to enter another”.
II) YAWNING AND WALKING
A) Physical function, mental function… or something more?
Yawning does not belong to a single domain. It is simultaneously physical, mental, emotional, and social. In a sense, it is a liminal function: a phenomenon of transition. And that is precisely where its deep affinity with walking appears. Because walking does not belong solely to physical movement either. Walking is transit.
It is not immobility
It is not absolute rest
It is not extreme action
It is a step, transformation, and internal displacement.
B) Deep connections between yawning and walking
a) Before walking: Many people yawn before starting a walk, before leaving the house, before changing environments, or before beginning a physical or mental activity. The body seems to prepare for movement. Yawning announces what walking begins.
b) During walking: Slow and prolonged walks favor occasional yawns, especially when mental rhythm slows down, introspection appears, a stable bodily cadence emerges, or external pressure decreases. Yawning acts as a mechanism for the fine-tuning of the nervous system.
c) Walking as a continuation of yawning: In states of mental fatigue, yawning attempts to reactivate the system; walking completes that reactivation. We could express it like this: Yawning announces what walking resolves.
d) Repressed yawning and eliminated walking: Sedentary societies often repress both phenomena. Yawning is considered “bad manners,” and walking is replaced by speed and automation. However, both are natural acts of bodily and mental regulation.
C) Does yawning favor or hinder walking?
Favorable aspects: Yawning can signal a need for change, prepare the body for action, indicate cognitive saturation, or function as a call to movement.
Unfavorable aspects: When yawning becomes excessive or persistent, it may be associated with accumulated fatigue, a sedentary lifestyle, sleep disturbances, or poor physiological regulation. In these cases, the body seems to insist on the need for reorganization.
III) YAWNING AS INTERNAL PRE-WALKING
Before walking, the body often yawns. We could even propose a deeper idea: yawning is a step that has not yet been taken. Here begins an especially important relationship between yawning, peripheral nerves, and the therapeutic walking observed within the WALK-RWD System.
III.1. Nervous system and yawning
Nerves—not just the brain—maintain a close relationship with yawning. Not as an isolated cause, but as part of a process of release, reintegration, and recalibration of the nervous system.
III.2. Walking, reading, and nervous reorganization
During the simultaneous practice of walking and precise reading within the WALK-RWD System, various phenomena can occur:
Activation of partially compressed or under-stimulated peripheral nerves
Partial restoration of certain nerve conductions
Deep sensory stimulation
Release of muscular and fascial tension
These responses do not remain only in a localized region of the body. The nervous system is continuous. As a result, the central nervous system receives a global reorganization of bodily information. One of the most frequent automatic responses generated? The yawn.
III.3. Yawning as nervous integration
Yawning often appears when the nervous system integrates something that remained partially blocked. It does not always express tiredness; sometimes, it expresses reconnection. It may arise when:
Sustained tension is released
A nerve pathway reactivates
The state of defensive alert decreases
The organism recovers internal regulation
This helps explain why we yawn when stretching, after massages, during yoga or physical therapy, after cervical releases, or when recovering fine mobility.
III.4. Vagus nerve and parasympathetic regulation
Many hand, arm, and conscious walking exercises seem to indirectly stimulate the vagus nerve and favor parasympathetic activation. Yawning is a typical signal of this process: it decreases defensive tension, favors internal reorganization, and restores physiological balance. Therefore, it usually appears when the body finally “feels safe” enough to relax.
III.5. Why do several yawns occur in a row?
This phenomenon is particularly revealing. An isolated yawn may be coincidental. But several consecutive yawns usually indicate progressive release, an ongoing physiological adjustment, or integration in stages. This is frequently observed in nerve rehabilitation, somatic releases, and sensorimotor reconnection processes—all of which are favored by the application of the WALK-RWD System.
III.6. The circle closes: walking and yawning
Walking activates peripheral nerves, generates rhythmic bodily oscillation, favors bilateral integration, and synchronizes multiple neurological functions. Therefore, many people yawn when they start walking after sitting for a long time, during conscious walks, or in processes of deep relaxation associated with movement through walking. We could then affirm: Yawning is the signal that the nervous system is ready to move. Walking is the act that completes that call.
III.7. It is not about “repairing” nerves, but decompressing them
In many cases, the nerves are not damaged; they are compressed, irritated, or functionally silenced. When that pressure decreases:
Conduction reappears
The system reorganizes information
Yawning emerges as a physiological marker of integration
Each yawn can then be interpreted as a small sigh of the nervous system when it recognizes itself as “complete” once again.
We also discussed in our essay on Yawning: “One of the central contributions of this essay is the notion of the bodily unconscious: a dimension of the organism that is not limited to performing functions, but organizes, integrates, and guides them. This unconscious is not expressed in concepts or discourses, but in concrete actions, in gestures such as yawning, which emerge at key moments of internal functioning”.
CONCLUSION
The relationship between yawning and walking seems much deeper than traditionally thought. Yawning is not an expression of tiredness, but an indicator of bodily and neurological reorganization. Within this perspective, therapeutic walking acquires an additional dimension: it activates, integrates, regulates, and releases. And yawning frequently appears as a sign of that transition.
We could summarize it in one phrase: Yawning is not necessarily born from fatigue. Many times, it is born from relief.
And perhaps that is why, when we yawn, we should ask ourselves if our body is simply trying to reorganize itself to feel better. Perhaps that is why, after a yawn, the body desires to walk.
(1) Loya Lopategui, Carlos, THE YAWN: A POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM THE THINKING BODY, EMULISA, México, Abril 2026. Available on Amazon, Kindle Edition: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H42RNJPP
