Lovingkindness Walking Meditation

A lovingkindness meditation is a simple yet profound way to connect with others and to recognize that we share a journey toward wholeness or peace. We start with a brief scan of ourselves and our day so far, then dive into the practice.

Transcript

Each of us needs spiritual practice in our lives.

Whether you live a fast-paced life or a more moderate or slow chilled out life,

We all need time to contemplate the world.

We need to take time to let our brains reintegrate.

Whether we're approaching this from a neurological angle or from a spiritual angle or from a self-improvement angle,

Regardless,

We all need the time.

I'm going to go for a walk and I invite you to join me.

Maybe lace up your shoes,

Throw on a jacket if need be,

Come outside with your headphones and let's go contemplate.

You might want to pause this for a few moments while you get ready and then let's head out together.

My name is Greg Powell and I'm a minister in the United Church of Canada and I appreciate you coming along on this journey.

I appreciate your willingness to try this out and I appreciate if you're up for sharing this with somebody else who might find this meaningful or helpful in some way.

Alright so I'm outside,

I hope you are too,

And the first thing I like to do is to take a big deep breath.

Notice what smells are alive today.

Notice what's happening in your body at this moment.

Notice what tension exists.

Notice what thoughts or stressors are real for you in this moment.

Maybe do a really quick scan of your day to this point and then when you're able,

Perhaps with a big exhale,

Release as much of that as you can.

As you scan your day,

Thoughts arise,

Maybe incomplete tasks,

Maybe things you still have yet to do later today.

Those are important,

Pay attention to those,

But let them go for now and they'll come back as you need them.

As your breath evens out,

Providing you what you need for this moment.

Notice your gait.

How are you walking today?

There's almost nothing symmetric about our bodies,

So it's actually pretty easy to notice how asymmetric our gait is if we pay attention to it.

So without judgment,

Just notice your gait.

Does one foot reach further ahead than the other?

Does one shoulder twist further ahead than the other?

Do you hold your head to one side or the other?

Just notice.

Today I'm going to take us on a form of a loving kindness meditation journey,

If you will.

So you'll have your eyes open as you're walking or as you're wheeling,

However you're getting around.

Be sure you're paying attention.

And I'll also invite you to bring certain people into your mind's eye as we go along.

First I want you to bring into your mind's eye or imagine the face of someone you consider an ally,

Someone who is supportive of you consistently and regularly.

Maybe a romantic partner,

Maybe someone in your workplace,

Maybe a friend,

Family member.

Hold that person in your mind's eye.

Notice what expression is on their face.

And as you're looking at them,

So to speak,

I invite you to say the mantra.

You can say this aloud if it's appropriate.

If there are many others around,

Maybe it's just in the silence of your head.

Or maybe you're just mouthing the words.

But I invite you to say the mantra,

May you know love.

May you know love.

And then I invite you to say to this person,

May you know kindness.

May you know kindness.

And then I invite you to say,

May you know peace.

May you know peace.

In your mind's eye still lock eyes with that person for a few moments.

Resist the temptation to avert the gaze,

Even if it gets a little bit awkward.

Just look them in the eye.

And now I invite you to bring into your mind's eye an adversary of sorts.

A so-called enemy.

Someone who resists you or something you care about in some way.

You might imagine this person holding a value that is opposite to your values.

Bring them to mind and look at them.

Notice the expression on their face.

And invite you to say to them the mantra,

May you know love.

May you know love.

And I invite you to say to them,

May you know kindness.

May you know kindness.

And then I invite you to say,

May you know peace.

May you know peace.

And then with this adversary or opponent or enemy,

I invite you to lock eyes for a few moments.

Resist the temptation to avert the gaze.

Allow your facial expression to silently say the mantra that you have said already.

Let your body language communicate what your mouth has already communicated to them.

And I invite you to bring a third person into your mind's eye.

Focus on a new person and this person is yourself.

Maybe you've passed your own reflection.

Maybe you are holding up a device and seeing your own reflection in your device's screen.

But feel free to picture yourself in your mind's eye.

And then to yourself,

I invite you to say the mantra,

May you know love.

May you know love.

And then to yourself,

The mantra,

May you know kindness.

May you know kindness.

And finally to yourself,

May you know peace.

May you know peace.

Continue locking eyes with yourself for a few moments.

Resist the urge to avert the gaze.

Allow yourself to see into your own soul,

Revealing what it is about you that you treasure so much.

Let your body language communicate the mantras you have said.

May you know love,

May you know kindness,

May you know peace.

Take a few moments to direct your attention on yourself,

Your own experience in this moment.

Notice how your breath moves in and out of the body.

Notice what tension exists and where.

Maybe it has changed since you first checked in with yourself.

Notice your gait.

I believe that each of us is good enough just as we are,

Which means that you are loved in some way.

I believe that God loves you just as you are.

And I also believe even though we are good enough and loved enough just as we are,

Each of us can be transformed into the most loving version of ourselves.

But this transformation takes practice and it takes intention and desire.

We have to want to be transformed.

Change is something that happens to us,

But transformation is something that happens within us.

Well now that I'm out for a walk,

I'm going to continue for a little while and try to hold this loving kindness posture for the rest of the day.

So I invite you to set that same intention.

Maybe your body language for the entire rest of the day can communicate,

May you know love,

May you know kindness,

And may you know peace.

I hope you'll join me again next time.

Each time we'll do something a little bit different.

And each time we'll have the intention of being one with the sacred that is around us.

I'm Greg Powell and I've been walking on the traditional territory of the Lekwungen speaking peoples on what's now known as Vancouver Island in British Columbia,

Canada.

I thank you for coming with me on this journey.

Until next time,

Peace.

Reviews

This was my 1st session where I my were eyes open almost the whole time, and it was a literal eye opening experience. There has always been some stigma for me around meditation, until I actually tried it of course. I am in addiction recovery and probably suffer from an undiagnosed obsessive compulsive disorder, where everything has to be a certain way or it just cant be. So trying new things are a struggle for me. But I really appreciate the another learning opportunity, that things can be different and pretty Awesome to experience as long as I am willing to try them out.

You inspired my childlike wonder of the outdoor world ⭐️

Saving this one! Thank you 🙏