Cycling; not just for exercise, it's for meditation too

Greetings, everyone!

---

I once read a post here that touched on the importance of cycling to the human body, and the aspect that particularly intrigued me was the talk on easiness to meditation while cycling, which was briefly discussed.

Cycling, though primarily seen as a practical and physical means of exercising the body and maintaining fitness by burning fat and preserving bone density, is also a sure way to achieve the benefits of meditation.

What to I mean by mediation?

Image source

It's simply a means of letting the mind to travel far to either ponder on things to come or reflect on things that have happened.

I was brought up with cycling because, back then, the bicycle was the easiest means of transportation to the farm. Not being able to ride a bicycle meant having to walk, or if lucky, being carried by someone else.

One thing is certain: cycling is never tiring if mastered fully. In the process of pedaling while the bicycle is in motion, you can let your mind wander to another realm where you begin to imagine things.

This often happens to me, especially during those days when riding on a lonely road to the farm. I would sometimes find myself smiling, indicating that my mind had traveled far to reflect on past events or imagine future scenarios. With such a contented mood, I wouldn't feel like the journey should end because stopping means interrupting whatever is bringing me joy.

It's not just about smiling; the mind could also ponder on a particular troubling issue and explore solutions. Throughout these mental journeys, the bicycle keeps moving and the legs keep pedaling, yet without feeling any tiredness.

In the same way that people seek out calm natural settings for meditation, people use cycling for that purpose too.

In my home church, there was a lady who ventured into Gospel music. During the launch of her songs, she was asked about the inspiration behind them. She said her inspiration came to her on her way to the farm while riding through the bush on the narrow roads flanked by bushes. Whenever she needed inspiration for a song, instead of sitting in a room with paper in hand like other songwriters, she would go cycling in a lonely place.

Image source

Her mind would wander, clashing with many thoughts, and ideas would pop out before she knew it. She would make sure to hold onto those ideas until she could write them down in her book of songs.

So you see that even when the physical body is busy pushing to keep the bicycle running, the mind is being put into work which causes renewal of the mind too.

That's just what cycling can do: it allows your mind to wander while your body works to keep the bicycle moving without feeling fatigued.

I remember a day when I was told to go to the farm to inform my dad that his younger sister had passed away. Throughout my journey cycling on the far road, I never felt tired; my mind was consumed with many thoughts, and I didn't even realize when I arrived there.

Also, if you want to let go of some worries in your mind, cycling could help out greatly. It's just a matter of you mastering how to let your mind away from the troubles of the world while on top of bicycle.

Thank you for reading.

_{Thumbnail was designed on Canva}