10 Benefits in learning and practicing Secrets of Natural Walking

I am a 43-year-old male acupuncturist with a history of poor sleep and low energy and some long-standing sports injuries. However, since discovering Secrets of Natural Walking a few years ago, I have experienced profound benefits in virtually all areas of my life.

Secrets of Natural Walking (SONW) is truly an amazing practice. By correcting how we walk, the body’s ability to heal itself can be reactivated and improved. To someone who had studied western and eastern medical systems, the approach seemed too simple, but this appears to be the key: our bodies already have deep rejuvenation and repair abilities, which can and should feel natural when they are operating properly. As we all know, our body has 30-40 trillion cells that work tirelessly to repair or regenerate. Unfortunately, when we abuse our body or use it incorrectly, we become ill, cells become damaged, and we lose the ability to repair or regenerate.

After all, unblocking restrictions in our in-built healing is the premise of acupuncture, reflexology, and other modalities. The difference here is that we do not rely on the intervention of another person’s judgment and skill in diagnosis and treatment. Rather, Natural Walking naturally reactivates the body’s own deepest and most complete healing, reaching even the root cause of our problems.

Some of the benefits I’ve directly experienced include:

1. Improved Posture & Spine Alignment
   Virtually everyone who practices Natural Walking sees significant benefits in their posture, with some gaining up to 2 inches in height due to improved spine alignment. My neck and lower back curves have reduced a lot, and I feel more upright and comfortable when I walk and even when I sit. Due to this, my muscles feel less achy and tired, and I am more alert throughout the day.

2. Joint Pain Relief
   My left hip had been locked for over 30 years, and I had significant injuries in both knees, with surgery in one. With practice, my joints have been relieved from pain and are moving quite freely. The workshop includes a simple but insightful form of gait analysis that highlights our main habits or weaknesses in how we walk by gradually correcting these and letting the body move more naturally, then deeper and more complete healing can occur.

3. Energy Boost & Rejuvenation
   One of the first signs that this practice was working was a massive boost in my energy. In the past, I would feel tired in the afternoons, lazy in the evenings, and like to stay in bed as long as possible in the mornings. These days, I’m happy to get up early and stay fresh and active until late in the evening. As a result, my whole body feels consistently more alive, fit, and rejuvenated.

4. Body Shape / Weight Loss
   Improved body shape is another benefit that all regular practitioners experience. For most, it’s a toning of the body along with weight loss or returning to the body’s natural shape. For me, even my chest, shoulders, and arms get toned, though the practice only involves walking! It is explained that when habitual pressure on the spine and organs is relieved, the blood, oxygen, and energy flows to all parts of the body can improve, even the parts that are not directly involved in the movements.

5. Natural Healing
   I am an acupuncturist or rather was an acupuncturist. I closed my business after I found myself repeatedly recommending my patients learn SONW instead of returning to me week after week. Natural Walking stimulates all of the acupuncture meridians and reflexology zones in the body, and I saw that this gave better – and more lasting – results than my treatments. This was particularly the case with structural (spinal, muscle, joint) and emotional problems. The founder, Irmansyah Effendi, informs us that our habits and holdings on the body can be freed by walking naturally, reactivating the innate healing abilities more completely. To me, it showed to be a shortcut to a deeper and more complete expression of what acupuncture has been aiming to achieve.

6. Relaxation & Calm Mind
   From the beginning, I noticed that Natural Walking brought a deep sense of relaxation and peace. While practicing, the mind would calm down, quietening more and more with each step. Whereas I always had a habit of incessant overthinking, I began to feel grounded and more in my body, and all of those wild or habitual thoughts would gradually dissolve. As I practiced more regularly, my mind would stay clear and sharp for longer, bringing better focus and concentration to work and other activities. At first, it seemed so foreign and almost scary to let go of the busy mind. Over time, though, I started to trust that my brain and life worked better without the constant buzz of noise and analysis.

7. Better Sleep
   Since birth, I was never a good sleeper. I just never got the hang of it and experienced phases of quite severe insomnia. Somehow, Natural Walking has changed that, and nowadays, I usually get a whole night of uninterrupted sleep. When I lie down in bed, my body feels more comfortable, and my brain is happy to switch off, whereas previously, my whole being seemed ready to start an all-night struggle. Among all the profound benefits I’ve experienced, this is the one that has brought the clearest and most recognizable change.

8. Happy Heart
   Somehow, practicing Natural Walking makes you happier. Not in the sense of relishing the time while doing it, like I used to enjoy cycling or playing soccer, but deeply and lastingly happy! Irmansyah Effendi explains that all levels of our being are connected. When we allow our bodies to be more natural, our emotional and spiritual parts are also freed from habits and pressure, and our deepest, most natural state is to be happy. I’ve experienced lightness, joy, and love in my heart that I did not know was even possible, and like all the other benefits, it stays with me in my daily life.

9. Fun & Connecting with People
   Secrets of Natural Walking can be an enjoyable and sociable activity too. The workshops themselves are relaxed, happy, and fun. Afterward, many people meet in groups to walk together, and Natural Way of Living organizes regular free online sessions. I certainly have SONW to thank in no small part for meeting and getting to know my wonderful wife, so you never know what unexpected benefits it can bring!

10. Save Money!
    As I mentioned, I no longer practice acupuncture. As well as seeing better benefits from SONW in most cases, it somehow felt wrong to keep taking money from patients when I felt they would get more value from learning SONW. When we consider how much we have to spend on regular visits to an acupuncturist, chiropractor, or physiotherapist, it is clear that attending a single workshop could give a lifetime of continued benefit for the cost of a few weeks of treatments. Moreover, it provides the flexibility of practicing anywhere, anytime, reducing the hassle and potential cost of arranging things like travel, work, and childcare to attend treatments.

Written by:

Darragh O’Sullivan