Somedays, when I put my running shoes on, I wonder what am I about to learn about myself.

I think that running is like time-traveling. You can accelerate self-knowledge and work on limitations that would have probably taken years to overcome otherwise.

The thoughts you have during your runs play an important role in this process. They are like the first line of a story that will be written on the road.

It can be a story about monsters, heroes, love, or grief. And just like any story, the end can be completely different from the beginning.



Have you realized that your thoughts during the first 2 kilometers of any run –or race– are quite different from those that come up after 10, 15, 20 kilometers, or more?

There is a transmutation while running. The things that seemed important become irrelevant, and those that were less important suddenly grow in your mind.

They reclaim their true volume.

Running makes everything transparent, so you can look at things the way they really are.

We are faced with ourselves and, sometimes, the person that comes back from the run is not the same that left.

Let me give you an example of how we can use running to rewrite the stories we tell ourselves, and how this practice can support Spiritual growth.

Unveiling the size of the wolf

An old proverb says: “Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is.”

I think that running has the power to diminish fear, and so, we can finally see the real wolf.

More than once, the wolf is not even there to terrify us but to show us something about ourselves. Something that we can improve to conquer our Ego, strengthen our Faith, or live at our Highest.

Fear is a natural part of life, as well as doubt, and uncertainty. We are not supposed to ignore these mental expressions, but to use them as a lifter in our Spiritual journey.

In order to do so, we have to confront the wolf and merge with it.



So, when there is something I want to work on –like a thought or emotion– I go for a run. I warm up while reflecting on the work I’m about to do, which is work on myself and not only on my body.

When I start my run, the dimension of the main thought or emotion I’m working on is usually like the wolf: oversized. But then, as the mileage increases and I keep focused on flowing with the movement, the illusion begins to fade.

As the run progresses, I check in with myself and compare the size of the wolf (thought or emotion). Sometimes, it has turned into a puppy. Or it may still be a wolf, but I can see clearly now:

It’s my own shadow. There is something I have to learn from it.

Once you own your shadow, it doesn’t chase you anymore. You can both merge and grow together.

How to make peace with your wolf

Sometimes, we make shallow things bigger than necessary, while diminishing those that are truly important: love, friendship, peace of mind, kindness, and Spiritual growth.

I’m confident that you can use running to unveil the real size of your thoughts and emotions and make peace with your wolf. You might find that the things you call “problems” are opportunities to renew your mind. A new beginning.

Here is a simple step-by-step to use this technique during your runs:

1. Pick something you want to work on.
2. During your warm-up, let this thought or emotion sink in. It might feel uncomfortable, but this is part of the journey.
3. Be conscious of how this feeling or thought looks at the beginning of your run.
4. Interact with it. Listen to what it has to say, and pay attention to any possible secondary thought that may come to the surface. Maybe the reason you have been worried or stressed lately is not the actual reason. Running is a safe space for these revelations to come up.
5. Accept the wolf. Recognize it as a part of you, and let it perform its actual purpose: to help you see yourself from the inside out.

You can get into a deep meditative state by being mindful of your breathing, your heart rate, and the contraction of your muscles.

This way, running can serve a double purpose: to make you feel more grounded –connected to the Earth– but also closer to the Spirit –the nonphysical plane–.

I hope that you find this exercise useful in your Spiritual journey and that running becomes to you a permanently open door to the Soul, where meaningful transformations happen.