Begin by finding a quiet and peaceful place to walk.
It can be indoors or outdoors or wherever it feels most comfortable for you.
Make sure you're dressed comfortably for the weather.
If you're walking outside,
Now don't start walking just yet.
Let's prepare for our walk by just coming into our body and stretching our limbs.
Maybe close your eyes for just a moment as you lift and stretch your arms towards the sky.
Feel into the stretch as your arms lengthen.
Root your feet into the ground,
Taking in the entire stretch.
Take a pause and breathe deeply in.
And as you breathe out,
Slowly lower your arms to your waist.
And stretch down to your feet slowly.
Feel your muscles loosen as you relax into ragdoll.
Take a breath in this position and when you are ready.
.
.
Slowly bring yourself back up to standing.
Take a moment to acknowledge how you already feel just a little bit different.
A little bit more aware.
A little bit more grounded in your body Now slowly open your eyes if you haven't already.
Taking in the light in the world that's currently surrounding you.
And when you are ready,
You may begin to walk.
Walk at a pace that is comfortable to you.
So that you may stay present in the moment.
While relaxing into the cadence of your steps Pay attention to your feet.
And the surface in which you are walking.
You may be on soft grass.
Or a firm sidewalk.
Maybe even a bumpy gravel surface.
Feel your feet against this surface.
Pay attention to the rocking motion of your foot against the ground as you walk.
Feel your heel touch the ground.
And rhythmically rock forwards towards the ball of your feet.
Notice how your toes outstretch.
As you finish each step.
Pay attention to the rhythm of each step.
As each foot makes contact.
Acknowledging the balance in coordination.
Each step takes.
Without you even having to think about it.
Maybe thank your body.
And acknowledge the beauty.
And complexity of this simple movement.
Take a deep breath in.
And let it go.
And then.
.
.
And release.
As you move forward,
Scan the world around you.
If you were outside.
Maybe you'll look up at the sky.
Is it blue?
Or grey.
Are there clouds in the sky?
Are they still?
Where's the wind moving them?
As you look around.
What do you see?
Is there grass?
Or trees.
Is the nature that surrounds you,
Barren.
Or lush.
Is anything around you blooming?
Or is nature dormant and sleeping?
What colors do you see?
Are they vivid?
Or washed out.
Take a deep breath in.
And release.
As you walk.
Notice the weather around you.
Is it cool or cold?
Warm,
Or hot.
Is there wind?
Or stillness.
Maybe it's raining.
Or even snowing where you're at.
Take in any sounds that you may be hearing.
Are there any birds?
Maybe you can even feel and hear the wind.
If you're walking on a sidewalk.
Can you hear the cars as they pass you by?
The world keeps telling us that we are not doing enough.
We need to do more.
Work more.
More.
But the truth is,
No matter how much we do,
Even if we were to never pause.
Or sleep again.
We would never accomplish all the things we think we need to do.
There would always be more.
And we would be sleepwalking through life.
Never really hear.
Never really present.
Always chasing the next thing.
And we would reach the end of our life wondering.
If we had ever really lived.
In this walk.
In this pause.
In this moment of presence.
We are really living.
And really experiencing life We are exactly where we need to be.
Experiencing the world and the wonder that it so deserves This moment will never come again.
Take it all in.
Jamie Verone writes,
Here's how it goes.
You will figure it all out.
Only to get lost again.
You will heal and learn.
And then you will heal and relearn you will change and think,
You will be that way forever and then you will reinvent You will never be done and that is the whole point.
You will grow and then you will savor.
You will be sad.
And then you will be blissful.
Sometimes in the same 24 hours.
You will cry.
You will compare.
.
.
And then you will recommit to your truth.
You will get caught up in societal expectations.
And then you will find your connection to self again.
You will be in constant evolvement.
Some of it conscious most of it happening in the background.
You will meet new versions of yourself.
All the time if you are lucky.
If you're present enough to invite them in.
You will think you have all the answers and then you will be humbled by all you do not know.
You will follow a path only to realize you need an entirely new North Star.
And all of this will be okay.
And serve to remind you that you're wonderfully alive.
To your life.
As you come to the end of your walk.
In this meditation.
Slow your cadence to a gentle stop.
Plant your feet firmly in the ground.
Shoulder width apart.
Feel the weight of your body.
Resting on your steadied feet.
Take a deep breath in.
And let it out.
And in and let it go.
And in in and out.
Take a moment to reflect on your walking experience.
Pay attention to how your body feels.
What you may have noticed during your meditation and the sense of calm and mindfulness you've brought into your inner world.
Thank yourself for taking the time to take care of your body.
And your mind during this walking meditation.
It is not only a gift to yourself,
But to the world.
As you can only meet others as far as you've met yourself.
And as you resume your day.
.
.
Carry this sense of mindfulness and presence.
That you cultivated.
During today's walk.
