Create Your Own Walking Practice

I wish to encore you to create your own inspiring walking meditation using inspiring words. I have found that if you are out walking your mind can help you create a walking meditation by simply using positive and inspiring word to repeat as you go.

Transcript

A very big aloha.

My name is Reverend Cindy Palos and I'm sitting here with the window open.

Wind is blowing outside very intensely.

Last night it must have gotten up to about 50 miles an hour and made me appreciate the power of the wind.

It's been,

It's been something to watch.

I live in a windy little area.

It's it's strange.

In my few blocks where I live,

The wind is intense because it comes straight up from the ocean right through this area all the way to the top of Haleakala,

Which is a 10,

000 foot mountain.

So I'm very aware of the power of the wind.

And there's many,

In Hawaiian languages,

There's many words that describe the different winds,

But this wind is something that's not to be ignored.

I don't think we can ignore the power of nature or the power of the forces at work in nature.

And it seems to me that the world is intensifying and nature is intensifying as we continue to do things that intrude upon the natural rhythm and the natural resources available to us.

And it seems to be happening with more intensity,

Especially with earthquakes and other things that are going on very,

Very,

Very frequently now.

So we are living in a time where if we are aware and if we respect how nature is talking to us and giving us messages,

I think we're going to be really much more in tune to how to work with nature and how to coexist better with nature than we have been doing.

I really love taking walks in nature every day.

Every day I go out and it's always fascinating to see the different ways nature interacts.

Now I'm on Maui so it's very,

It's very interesting how here there's that force of the islands and the fact that we're 2,

500 miles on either side from any major resources.

I mean Japan's 2,

500 miles away,

The United States of America,

The central area's 2,

500 miles away.

And here we are in the center of all of that.

And it kind of is an interesting force at work.

And it's something we really shouldn't and can't ignore.

The gifts of nature are so precious and so important and need to be respected so much.

And I think when we're out walking,

As I walk every day,

As we're walking in nature,

We can really take the time to appreciate that force.

Now what I've been doing lately with my walks,

Which I do every day,

Either around the neighborhood or out in the hills if I can get up there,

I say basically four words,

I'm sorry,

It's more like four sentences,

Four sentences as I'm walking.

And it used to be where I just use a basic one that was given a long time ago that I followed.

No,

No,

I've got to be able to walk in tune with my influences and my resource and my gift of what's around me.

And I think it's important for you as well.

When you take your walks,

Instead of just letting your mind focus or your mind drift,

You can actually go to that place inside,

That deep,

Deep place inside that will repeat positive affirmations.

And they can relate to your walk.

And it always actually is a fascinating thing that I've been finding.

As I say these positive words in positive affirmations,

I actually am more aware.

So if I say an affirmation that says,

As I'm walking,

I'm aware of the wind blowing through the trees.

And by saying that,

Strangely,

I do appreciate more the sound of the wind and feel the wind blowing through the trees.

As I'm walking,

I feel the beauty of the mountains shining forth down in the hills.

And then I'm aware of that.

So this is going to be different for you depending on where you're walking and what your influences are.

But I do want to encourage you to create positive statements that you can use in your walking meditations.

And it can be something that you really want to be aware of.

As I'm walking,

The sound of nature inspires me.

As I'm walking,

Each step is in tune with the earth and the sky.

As I'm walking,

You know what I'm saying?

I'm saying you can create something that is really reflecting.

Now you don't have to say this out loud.

I say this quietly because I'm out walking around the neighborhood usually.

And I just say it inside as I'm walking.

But I have found this to be extremely valuable.

And as I'm saying it,

When I sing it inside,

I become more aware of the things that I'm saying.

And it keeps my mind from drifting.

And it keeps my mind from just going off on a little side track.

The mind will easily go off on a side track.

And it's beautiful to see how we can coexist with the area we're walking with.

With positive affirmations.

With positive statements.

And still be even more in tune with the beauty in what's around us.

It emphasizes what we're going through in our walk.

And it directs and focuses that.

It's a beautiful gift.

And I really want to encourage you to try creating some positive words.

And it kind of opens your mind to be looking for that as you're walking as well.

And it intensifies sometimes the beauty and awareness of what you're walking with.

Now again,

This is for walks when you're doing it pretty much on your own.

I find that I can't do it with other people because other people want to talk.

And they want to communicate.

But when I'm walking by myself,

I can do this very,

Very well.

And it's a great gift.

And it's a simple,

Wonderful gift that can actually bring you a deeper connection to your inner self in the outer world.

And that is a gift as well.

Because when you're doing that,

Then you'll find that when you're meditating,

You are aware of some of the higher thoughts or higher insights that come to you.

And it's more easily available from your higher mind to your conscious mind.

And I would love to see how you feel when you try this.

Not just what I tell you might be a suggestion,

But what you create and how you can make your walks so beautiful and so powerful as a walking meditation.

A true gift to have a walking meditation in tune with your particular situation,

Your particular place,

Your particular insights,

And your awareness.

And I thank you so much for being open to this.

I'd love to hear some of your comments if you do this,

What comes to you.

And maybe you could share what comes to you.

It's lovely to be able to interact with nature.

It's lovely to be able to interact with you.

This is a true gift that we share by being able to be here together and I truly bow in deep gratitude.

Reviews

I love walking meditation too! Sometimes on the trail in the woods I do a cicada walking meditation where I keep my mind and ears focused on the sound of beautiful cicada song as they fade in and out over and over. They are a perfect guide. If my mind wanders they always give me a really loud reminder at the top of their song which brings me back. I also do a walking meditation where I say "breath deep" on the inhale and "peace" or "Joy" on the exhale. After a while the word "deep" in between the other two words starts connecting to the words before and after in a way that is always changing so I can remain curious about it. I was prescribed that walking meditation by a wonderful Dr of Chinese medicine.
Love and blessings to you Rev Cindy