An Exercise in Mindfulness

Friday, August the 6th, is Cycle to Work Day. So, grab a helmet and mix up that morning commute, or if you're working from home, take a break and head out to the park for a spin. The childhood joy of pedaling doesn't have to be lost to the past. It's good for the body, the mind, and the environment.

The idea of carving out one day a year to hop in the saddle and pedal to the office began in 1956 with the League of American Bicyclists. What started as a single day became an entire week and then a whole National Bike Month, which now occurs in May of each year.

In 1956 when the League of American Bicyclists established the idea, they were attempting to revive a healthier time by coaxing citizens to dust off their old machines and get pedaling.

Today, Cycling to Work has taken on an entirely different meaning. As greenhouse gases damage the equanimity of Earth's environment, relying on petroleum-fueled vehicles has grave implications. By ditching the Uber and mounting a bike, we can do more to minimize the excess waste of natural gases while improving our own physical and mental health.

While runners get their high by running, some of us get ours by riding a bike. Meditation doesn't always mean sitting on a cushion and withdrawing the senses.
Being in the zone - a state in which one is so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter - is a form of mindfulness.

To be one with the bike, the road, and the elements, requires full attention. Feel the wind in your face, and the road under your wheels is to be in the flow. When there is a merging of action and awareness, worries cease to exist.

Some of us just ride for fun. Some of us ride to get to a destination, but cycling is also an excellent way to practice mindfulness. The benefits of cycling are many; mindfulness may be the best of them.

So, let's dust off our bikes, air up the tires, and hit the road!