Welcome to this walking mindfulness meditation.
Whether you're walking in nature,
Through city streets or just down a hallway,
This is a moment to be here.
This isn't about getting anywhere,
It's about arriving over and over with each step.
Now I find walking meditations not only deeply grounding but also incredibly convenient.
Most of us,
Myself included,
Lead very busy lives and you can sometimes feel difficult to carve out that dedicated time for ourselves.
But by staying open and aware as we walk,
Whether it's through a park,
To the shops or to a meeting,
We give ourselves the chance to connect inwardly and offer our minds a well-deserved moment of rest.
Take a moment now to begin your walk if you've not already started and just get into the rhythm of it.
I'll join you shortly to guide the practice.
Mindfulness walking meditation involves intentionally bringing attention to your present experience as both internal sensations and external surroundings.
Now by directing focused awareness in this way you reduce automatic thinking and increase that clarity and calmness in the mind.
And that is precisely what we will cultivate together step by step.
So let's begin by first settling the body.
So as you walk,
Feel your feet meet in the ground.
Focus on your left foot and then your right foot.
Notice the shift of weight as you step.
Let your arms move naturally.
No need to change anything,
Just notice.
Feel the rhythm of your body as it moves.
Just take a moment to notice all the things inside your body as your feet meets the ground step by step.
Wonderful and now let's bring some breath awareness.
So notice your breath as you walk.
You don't have to sync it with your steps unless that feels natural.
But just let the breath be your anchor.
Inhale and exhale.
Breathe in,
Move in,
Present.
Just now put all of your attention and awareness on your breath.
Don't change anything but just notice it for the next few moments.
And now let's begin to bring awareness to your senses.
So gently turn your attention outward.
Notice what you see without labeling,
Without judging.
Simply observe the colors,
The shapes,
The light and shadow.
If you're in a town or city perhaps there are people moving quickly or cars and buses passing by.
If you're in nature maybe you notice branches swaying in the wind or a squirrel darting up a tree.
Whatever it is just let it be part of your awareness.
Nothing to name,
Nothing to change.
Wonderful.
Now gently turn your attention to what you can hear.
So sounds near and far,
Steady or passing.
The hum of life around you,
Perhaps the call of a bird,
The faint roar of an aeroplane high above or the soft crunch of leaves beneath your feet.
Whatever arises in your ears simply notice it.
Let it be there,
Accepted,
Allowed,
Part of this moment.
Okay and now bring your awareness to what you can feel.
The air resting on your skin,
The gentle weight of your clothes,
The contact of your shoes against your feet.
Notice the temperature.
Is it warm,
Cool,
Perhaps somewhere in between?
Is there a breeze moving across you or is the air still?
Take the next few moments to notice what you can feel.
Take a moment to observe all these sensations again.
Your body emotion,
Your breath,
What you see,
Hear and feel and let each sensation draw you more deeply into this walk,
Into this moment.
If your mind wanders to plans,
Problems or past events,
That's okay.
Simply notice where it went and gently return to your steps.
Step,
Step,
Breath,
Breath.
This is all you need to do right now.
I'll leave you now for a few moments you can fully immerse yourself in what you see,
What you hear and what you feel.
Let your attention rest on these sensations.
And now as we come back together,
How was that?
If your mind wandered,
Know that it's perfectly natural.
The beauty of this practice is that you can always return to a sight,
A sound,
A feeling and with time this becomes easier and it's a skill that can support you in so many moments of life.
Before we close,
Bring to mind one thing you feel grateful for today.
It could be a feeling like calm or contentment,
Could be something you noticed on this walk or perhaps it's something entirely different.
Whatever it is,
Allow that gratitude to feel you as though it's glowing warmly from the inside out.
Whether your walk continues or comes to an end here,
Carry this presence with you.
Let each step be an arrival.
Let each breath remind you,
You are here in this moment.
Thank you so much for allowing me to walk beside you today,
Sending you love and blessings.
Have a beautiful rest of your day.
