Welcome to this guided walking meditation.
My name is Caitlin and thank you for joining me today.
If you're able,
You can take this meditation outside to a space where you can walk comfortably.
If going outside is not an option for you,
You can follow along by gently pacing in a smaller space that is available to you,
Or by visualizing or sensing the walk while seated with your eyes closed or partially open.
To begin,
You may like to gently move and stretch your body and starting to tune into what your body needs right now.
You may even like to shake out your limbs and release any excess energy and taking a few moments to settle in.
Before you begin your walk,
You may like to begin by connecting to your feet.
By noticing their connection to the ground beneath you.
Feeling into the surface beneath you and allowing yourself to feel supported.
If you're barefoot,
You might like to notice the textures beneath your feet.
And if you're wearing shoes,
You might like to sense how they cradle and support your feet.
And if you haven't already,
You may begin your walk.
Gently bring your awareness to your breath.
The inhale and the exhale naturally through your nose.
Observing the sensations of your breath.
The natural rise and fall of your chest.
The gentle expansion of your belly and the warmth of your breath on the exhale.
Gently welcome the sounds around you.
Simply noticing the presence of sound or even silence.
Allowing the environment's natural sounds to come forward to you and allowing these sounds to be a part of your meditation.
Bringing awareness to the feeling of your clothing against your skin.
Noticing areas on your body that is covered by fabric.
Sensing the temperature of the day and the movement of air on your skin.
And perhaps there is the presence or even the absence of a breeze today.
Shifting your awareness to any lingering fragrances or scents in the air.
Perhaps the smell of fresh air,
Flowers,
Rain or perhaps the absence of smells.
Expanding your awareness to the space around you and taking in what you can see.
Noticing the colors,
The way the light moves and shifts.
The presence of nature such as plants and flowers and trees.
Perhaps you can see buildings and roads.
You might see mountains or water.
Perhaps you can notice the vastness of the sky.
Or even the details of objects around you.
Simply observing without the need to label.
Allowing yourself to take in surroundings through your sense of sight.
Moment by moment.
Allowing yourself to settle into this open awareness of your senses.
Inside and around you.
Without judgment and simply observing.
It is natural for the mind to wander during meditation.
And especially during a walk.
A walk can bring to light solutions to problems.
Spark new creative ideas.
Or even allows you the time and space to process your day.
And when this happens and if your mind gets taken by a train of thought.
You may like to allow yourself to simply let your mind wander for a little while.
You may also like to gently bring your focus back to your breath.
Or what you can see during your walk.
You might find it helpful to acknowledge thoughts by silently labeling them.
Such as thinking,
Thinking or planning,
Planning.
Before returning to the present moment again.
Gently returning your awareness back to the soles of your feet.
Feeling their contact with the ground.
And noticing any weight distribution.
Does one foot feel more connected than the other as you walk?
And noticing how each foot lifts and moves forward.
Before mindfully placing it down again.
Gently scan up through your legs.
And perhaps sending them appreciation for their support in this practice.
Gently connecting to the rest of your body.
From your feet into the top of your head.
Inviting any areas of tension to soften.
And if it feels comfortable doing so.
You may like to gradually slow down your steps.
Can you slow down your steps even more?
Observing how your feet and your legs feel.
As they press into the ground and lift again.
Slowing down may feel unfamiliar.
And can you notice any emotions or thoughts that arise as you slow down?
Perhaps discomfort,
Resistance.
Or even a sense of restlessness.
Can you bring a loving and accepting awareness to them?
Inviting them like a friend to walk alongside you.
While also welcoming any feelings of ease,
Love,
Curiosity.
Or lightness that may naturally emerge.
Paying attention to your breath as you walk.
It's natural flow.
The rhythm of your inhales and exhales.
Allowing your breath to guide your steps.
Continuing to walk as slowly as feels comfortable.
Maintaining awareness of your feet.
Your breath and your surroundings.
Allowing yourself to pause whenever you need.
By standing still for a moment or two.
And by reconnecting with your breath.
Your body and the earth beneath you.
Releasing any effort and settling into the experience of simply being here.
Now.
And as you continue your walk for a few further moments.
Gently bring awareness back to your breath.
Sense your body in space by noticing once more what you can see around you.
Feeling your feet rooted on the ground.
Reconnecting with the sounds around you.
Near and far for a moment.
When you are ready.
You may begin to walk back to your starting place.
Back home.
Or you may like to continue on your walk.
Take your time to transition out of this meditation.
With moving with intention and ease.
And thank you for being a part of this practice today.
And for showing up for yourself.
And may you carry this sense of presence with you into the rest of your day.
