Mindfulness practice 24,
Impact on the earth.
If it is available to you,
Engage in this mindfulness practice as a walking meditation.
Please first stand in one place,
Take a deep breath and come into this present moment.
If you are seated,
Pause,
Breathe,
And come into this present moment.
As you exhale,
Feel your connection to the planet beneath you.
Can you feel where your body ends and the earth below you begins?
Breathe some love into that imagined space.
Notice how your body feels in this moment on this earth.
Notice the stillness in the moment in not moving.
When you are ready,
Slowly move forward,
Paying close attention to your movement.
Consider what it takes in your mind and body to go from stationary to moving forward.
Feel your muscles engage.
Pay special attention to your connection to the earth.
If you are walking,
Feel each foot rise and gently place it down in front of you.
Notice how as your foot gets planted on the earth,
The rest of your body's weight shifts forward as your other foot comes off the ground.
If you're in a wheelchair,
Notice the movement forward and the connection to the earth between the wheels and the ground.
Continue to slowly move forward,
Using your observer to notice your movements and also find yourself in your body,
Noticing how each movement forward feels.
We rarely take the time to notice how our body moves.
See if you can find a connection or rhythm between your breath and your movement.
Perhaps one step could be an inhale and the next could be an exhale,
Or even slow it down more,
Taking a full inhale and exhale with each step.
As you move forward,
If you are outside or are near a window see if you can mindfully soak in your surroundings,
Breathing in the fresh air,
Appreciating the earth on which we live.
Then consider,
As Thich Nhat Hanh suggests,
How we move forward in the world.
How gently do we go?
Are we trampling the earth or treading lightly?
And as we move forward,
Consider what we are leaving behind with every step.
As we connect our carbon footprint to our actual footprints or wheel prints,
We can ask ourselves,
What is my impact on the earth?
We have a choice in every move we make.
What if we were to mindfully proceed through our lives from our inspired self,
Making a deep impact on others,
But little to no impact on the planet?
What would that look like for you?
What might you have to change in your life for that to be so?
What might the cumulative impact be on the planet if every person were to live this way?
Thank you.
When you are ready,
Come to a stationary position.
Pause,
And again,
Notice the difference in your body from moving forward to becoming stationary.
Notice your connection to the earth now.
Take another deep breath.
Stretch your body and take a moment to transition your focus back into your surroundings.
Welcome back.
Feel free to journal now about your experience or about any ideas or insights that arose for you.
