Walking for Health, Creativity, and Spiritual Well-Being with Michael Gelb

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Gelb explains that we never truly stand on our feet; rather we stand on the Earth and the importance of feeling the support of the Earth with every step. This dialogue highlights the benefits and dynamics of walking well, including comfort, vitality, and inspiration. He introduces the benefits of walking for enhancing creativity and problem-solving. He shares examples of the benefits of walking including it has helped him in writing his books, avoiding writer's block. Walking can lead to moments of genius and creative inspiration by allowing the mind to wander and make connections. Walking is also good for business. For example, John Forney, a CEO, moved his offices from an urban setting to a location with walking trails in order to encourage his employees to get away from their desks. This had the added benefit of improving team dynamics. Gelb makes a distinction between transportational walking (e.g., to the kitchen or supermarket) and transformational walking (e.g., meditation, pilgrimage, or health walks). He suggests bringing a sense of reverence and sacredness to every step and that every walk can be a sacred pilgrimage, even mundane activities like walking to the bathroom. Walking will also connect us to nature that both opens our minds and opens our hearts. (hosted by Justine Wilis Toms)

Bio

Michael Gelb, Ph.D. is a fifth-degree black belt in Aikido and a teacher of Tai Chi and the Alexander Technique. He’s a pioneer in the fields of creative thinking, accelerated learning, and innovative leadership, Gelb leads seminars for organizations such as DuPont, Merck, Microsoft, Nike, and many others.

He’ s the author of:

• Innovate Like Edison: The Success System of America’s Greatest Inventor (co-author Sarah Miller Caldicott) (Dutton 2007)
•  How To Think Like Leonardo da Vinci (Dell 2000)
• Brain Power: Improve Your Mind as You Age (co-author Kelly Howell) (New World Library 2012)
• Creativity On Demand: How to Ignite and Sustain the Fire of Genius (Sounds True 2014)
• Walking Well: A New Approach for Comfort, Vitality, and Inspiration In Every Step (co-author Bruce Fertman) (New World Library  2024)

To learn more about the work of Michael Gelb go to www.michaelgelb.com.

Topics explored in this dialogue include:

• How walking is a keystone habit
• How walking enhances creativity and our innate genius
• How walking shoulder to shoulder helps to tune into each another's rhythms and contributes to creative problem-solving and conflict resolution
• How walking improves balance and posture
• How to find your natural gait
• How daily exercises like standing on one leg can improve walking steadiness and prevent falls
• Gelb encourages us to take improv classes to learn how to manage uncertainty and respond creatively to life's unpredictability
• How walking can be a spiritual experience

Host: Justine Willis Toms    Interview Date: 8/30/2024   Program Number: 3826

Music Playlist

From Album: Optimism Collection (disc 1)
Artist: Muriel Anderson

Opening Essay: Track 01 Hometown
Music Break 1: Track 02 Daylight
Music Break 2: Track 02 Daylight (cont.)
Music Break 3: Track 11 Mr Chester