Whether its by yourself or with a beloved pet, walks are a great way to start and/or end your day. They get you moving, allow you to reflect, and offer at least a little time in your day for silence and meditation.
Slow Walking Meditation:
- Make sure that you are in an area that you can take at least 10-20 steps in length. Keep hands still, either behind your back or at your side while you walk.
- Notice your breath for a moment as it flows effortlessly in and out. Stand and balance your weight evenly between both feet.
- Feel the sensation of standing. Bring your attention to your body. Be conscious of contact with the ground, or pressure and tension.
- Pay attention to how it feels to just stand there.
- Notice how all the parts of your bod participate in standing, including your feet, ankles, legs, hips, stomach, chest, back, shoulders, and arms.
- Now lean gently to the left.
- Notice what feels different as you put all your weight on your left foot. Pay attention to the feeling in your left foot, leg, hip, back, neck, and arms. Pay attention to the feeling in your right foot, leg, and hip. Notice the difference between the sensations in the two sides of your body.
- Now lean to the right.
- Notice how your body changes as your weight changes. Pay attention to your right foot, leg, hip, and then your left foot, leg, and hip.
- Slowly and consciously raise your right leg, swing the right foot forward, and step onto it. Put your weight on your right foot and take the weight off your left foot. Notice the sensations in your right foot as it carries your weight. Compare these to the sensations in your left foot as you take your weight off of it.
- Slowly and deliberately left your left foot, swing it forward, and place it on the ground and gently shift your weight onto it.
- Repeat this with each foot, being mindful of how each part of your body participates in walking. Notice the sensations in your feet, legs, hips, back, stomach, chest, shoulders, neck, arms, and head.
- You might say, "left, swing, and place" as you repeat the process.
- Maintain your attention on the process of walking. If your mind wanders, that's okay. As soon as you notice that it has, gently bring your attention back to the action and feeling of walking.
Walking Meditation:
- Before you star your walk, set your intention to pay attention to your surroundings. If you are walking outside, you might begin by noticing the surface you are walking on and how your feet feel as you walk along.
- Then look around you. Notice the weather, the temperature, the breeze, the sky, and the clouds. Pay attention to the trees, the leaves, the bark, and branches.
- Focus on flowers, grass, fields, lakes, and streams.
- Notice the animals: squirrels, dogs, cats, and birds. Listen to the sounds. Notice the fragrance or odors that you come across.
- If you are in an urban setting, seek out the natural beauty wherever you find it, such as trees, planted along sidewalks, flowerpots, gardens, and parks.
- Also focus on the buildings, streets, businesses, cars, buses, trucks, airplanes, trains, and people.
- Notice the colors, the sounds, and the energy around you.
- Whenever you notice that you are not thinking about your surroundings, just gently bring your attention back to what you can see and feel around you.
- Continue this process until you complete your walk.
Contemplative Walking:
- Choose a topic, idea, concept, or a problem you wish to think about while you are walking. Set you intention to think about it as the target of your attention.
- Go for a walk.
- Keep your intended topic in your mind. Every time you notice you are thinking about something else, just accept it and bring your attention back to our intended topic.
- Be aware of your surroundings for safety.
- Use your steps to remind you to stay focused as your intended.
- Continue this process until you complete your walk.