This next imagery exercise is a walking meditation designed for you to use on a walk outdoors.
It's particularly good for people who have a strong visual sense or for people who have trouble sitting still.
In fact,
Sometimes people can be so stressed that this is the only kind of meditative exercise that will work well for them.
And even with people who aren't especially fidgety,
It's a wonderful variation on the more standard sedentary forms of imagery.
Very nourishing,
Very energizing,
And deeply calming.
First,
Decide on a place where you can walk for at least 15 minutes.
See if you can choose a pleasing place if at all possible,
Even though this isn't strictly necessary.
Also,
It's better if you choose a place where you don't run into too many people.
And if you do,
Please try to avoid contact with them.
I know that sounds rude,
But for this particular exercise it's important.
The basic point of this meditation is to just let yourself take energy in,
Filling up on your surroundings,
Nourishing yourself on all the sensory information that's coming into you.
You put nothing out,
Not even a smile or a nod or a hello.
Try it.
It's quite a revelation to discover how much energy you have when you don't dissipate it on relatively meaningless social contact.
So for just this next while,
Unplug your social scanner,
Retreat inward,
And see what happens.
The narrative will end after about 10 minutes.
After that,
You can either rewind it and play it again if you feel you could still use the guidance.
Or you might want to remove your earphones and continue to walk on your own,
With the additional benefit of being able to hear the sounds of your surroundings.
A full half hour of this should have a powerful positive impact on you.
But if you only have 10 or 15 minutes,
Do it anyway.
It'll still be good for you.
So if you're ready to start walking,
We can proceed.
So to begin with,
Gently shake your body out a little bit,
And then see if you can allow your shoulders to drop to a balanced,
Comfortable place.
Letting your knees unlock,
You might even want to try shifting your weight back and forth on your feet from side to side for a bit,
Until you have a comfortable sense of your balance between your own two feet.
And just taking a nice,
Full,
Slow,
Cleansing breath,
And breathing out as fully as you comfortably can.
Looking around your environment,
And checking out the ground,
And the sky,
And everything around you.
And again,
Taking another slow,
Even,
Deep breath,
Way down into the abdomen if you can,
And exhaling as fully as you comfortably can.
And now,
Still very aware of your breath,
Moving in and out,
Rhythmically and steadily,
You can begin to walk at an easy,
Thoughtful pace.
Attending fully to your surroundings,
Opening all of your senses to the richness of the environment.
Enjoying the colors,
The light,
The subtle and elegant arrangements of clouds or trees or grass,
Sand or rocks.
And noticing the play of the way things move in light and shadow,
So that you're just taking in the richness of your surroundings with fresh,
Appreciative eyes,
With the curious,
Young eyes of a child.
Continuing to be aware of your breathing,
In and out.
And perhaps even hearing yourself inhale and exhale as you walk along.
Enjoying the feel of the air on your skin,
Letting it caress your face,
As you smell all the fragrances wafting into you,
Layers and textures of wonderful,
Interesting smells.
As you continue your walk at an easy,
Steady pace.
Always aware of the breath,
The sound and feel of the breath moving in and out.
Each step solidly connecting with the ground.
And even enjoying the feel of that,
The solid contact of your feet with the ground.
Feeling the steady support of the earth beneath you.
And so just letting your awareness linger there for a while,
As your feet connect with the earth,
Rhythmically and steadily,
Just like your breath.
And even appreciating the feel of the steady roll of your hips and their sockets as you move along.
The rich,
Full feel of the body in motion,
As you continue to breathe in with full,
Nourishing breaths.
And breathe out fully and easily.
And perhaps noticing an increasing acuteness in your senses as you go along.
How the colors around you might seem to be more vivid and sharp.
The fragrances of your surroundings richer and more distinct.
How even the sound of your own feet on the ground is louder and more distinct to you.
So just noticing how your senses seem to flourish from this simple focus.
Noticing how you're becoming more and more fully aware of the sound of your own breathing and the feel of your own body in a way that's very absorbing and satisfying.
Continuing to breathe in and out very deeply and fully.
And perhaps even becoming aware of the tastes in the air.
Sometimes the air can carry tastes into you,
Along with all the sweet,
Sharp,
Fresh scents.
As the colors continue to become richer,
Deeper.
The shapes and outlines sharper and clearer.
All of your senses opening,
More and more attuned to the beauty and variety of your surroundings.
And perhaps stopping to touch something.
Or to watch an animal.
Or to catch an arrangement of light and shadow.
Receiving the whole world through your eyes and ears and nose and skin.
Smelling the air.
Feeling the ground.
And feeling a soft,
Sweet fullness as you breathe the richness of your surroundings into your heart.
Utterly alive and present to the bounty of this moment.
And again,
Turning your attention to the feel of the ground beneath your feet.
Feeling the whole earth supporting you.
Pressing back on the bottoms of your feet.
Alive and generous.
And perhaps even sensing the rhythmic hum of the planet vibrating beneath you.
Breathing her powerful breath into your feet.
And feeling the energy of the earth moving into you.
Filling you up with every step.
Rich and plentiful and boundless.
Every step a gift.
Every breath,
Every sight and sound savored with gratitude.
Feeling yourself enveloped by riches.
Soaking in the joy of being alive.
Fully present to the moment.
Shoulders wide and heart open.
Breathing in and out,
Rhythmically and deeply.
Continuing to move with balance and strength,
Steady and centered.
And attuned to everything around you.
Surrounded by riches.
Feeling full and supple and strong.
Aware of energy and infinite supply.
Yours to take in whenever you wish.
Requiring only your own mindfulness.
Only that and the whole world is yours.
And so,
Feeling peaceful and easy.
Continuing to walk for as long as you wish.
Always bringing your attention back to the breath.
Back to the feel of your feet on the ground.
And back to the beauty of your surroundings coming to you through all of your senses.
And you can know that you are better for this.
More peaceful,
Calm and nourished.
More at peace.
And so you are.
Thank you.
