Welcome to this walking meditation.
We'll begin by standing with an upright posture and with firm and balanced footing.
And now bringing your attention to this simple act of standing.
Perhaps closing your eyes if that feels accessible to you,
Or gently casting your gaze downward.
And tuning into any sensations that are arising in your body as you stand in one place.
Even when we're standing still,
Our bodies may be making subtle shifts in movement to keep us balanced.
Paying close attention to any of these shifts in your own body.
And focusing on the feet in particular,
And the contact they're making with the ground beneath you.
What are you noticing here in that connection between feet and ground?
Maybe experimenting with a tiny lean in one direction or another.
Observing what changes in the feet and in the rest of the body.
Which muscles and joints and tendons readjust themselves to accommodate this micro-movement.
And next,
Opening your eyes if they're closed,
And identifying a path where you're going to be walking back and forth in a moment.
It can be just a few paces long,
Or perhaps the length of a room.
Unlike going on a walk,
We're not trying to get anywhere or reach anything in a walking meditation.
So even if you're outside,
I invite you to choose a set path where you can focus on the act of walking itself.
And now beginning to walk along your path,
Going at a pace that allows you to really explore what it feels like in your body to be walking.
For some of you,
That may be slower than you're accustomed to walking.
Whatever your pace,
Observing the sensations that arise as one foot is placed on the ground and as the other foot lifts up.
Maybe even noticing the space between these movements.
And getting curious about where else in your body walking is felt.
The feet are the point of contact,
But there are so many other parts that are involved in keeping you upright,
Balanced,
And in motion.
Paying attention as well to the point at which you stop and turn around if you're going back and forth.
What are the different mechanics involved in stopping and turning?
What new sensations arise in the body here?
And when your attention wanders off,
Remembering that this is a perfectly normal feature of the mind,
And then gently and kindly bringing your attention back into this walking body of yours.
And now experimenting,
If you wish,
With your pace.
Seeing what happens if you pick it up or slow it down.
What,
If anything,
Changes for you in the experience of walking?
What new sensations do you notice?
And experimenting,
Too,
With your gaze.
Noticing what changes in your experience of walking when you move from looking down at your feet to looking straight ahead,
Or vice versa.
And checking in with any striving that is coming up for you,
Any yearning to get somewhere specific or move in a particular direction.
So often,
We're trying to get from point A to point B in our lives.
We can meet the striving here without judgment,
And then recommit ourselves to staying present in our bodies and in this moment.
And now returning to wherever you started this walking meditation.
And resuming your original position of standing still.
And again,
Closing the eyes if that feels right to you,
Or casting the gaze downward.
And taking in the impact of this walking meditation on your body.
Does anything feel different now than when you started?
And finally,
Offering yourself gratitude for taking the time to really be mindful.
To really get present with this simple act of walking that so many of us take for granted.
Sending appreciation to our bodies for all that they do.
And we'll end by opening the eyes if they're closed.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
