Walking And Talking

Take a walk in nature and talk to the trees. In Genesis 24:63, Isaac goes walking in the fields in the afternoon. Jewish sages call this one of the first instances of prayer. So, spend some time in nature - or simply in your mind's eye - communicating with the created world. (Photo by Vanessa Garcia)

Transcript

This meditation is designed to be a walking meditation, But it can be done from home. You can envision and imagine in your mind's eye a walk you could take, Would take, Or have taken. Begin. Begin by settling in to the very spot in which your feet find yourself. Become aware of the solidity of your body, Its mass and volume, And the effect gravity has on you, Drawing equally each part of your body towards a loving earth. Take stock of your breathing. Notice where you find yourself. Is your breathing harsh or ragged, Simple, Plain, Fulfilling? We're not judging, And you don't even need to use words. Just notice where your breathing is as you come into this moment for meditation. And then 5%, 10% fraction at the margin. Just begin extending your breath. A little deeper into your lungs, A little slower on the exhale. Have fun with it. Enjoy breathing. This time together can be done while walking or just from home picturing a walk. So begin in either or any space, Standing seated or lying down, Eyes open if you'll be walking, Perhaps eyes closed to enhance your ability to imagine a walk if you're not in a place to do so. As you deepen and slow your breathing, Acknowledge your setting and environment. What's the air temperature? Cold or warm, Breezy or still. You don't even have to use words, You can just experience it, Witness it, And breathe it in. Pulling it in fully and letting it out slowly. How the air feels on your tongue, Through your nose. Feel your feet firmly on the ground, Secured to the earth through touch and gravity. Take stock of the edges, The pads of your feet, The solidity that they provide you. In fact or in your imagination, Examine the ground below you. Grassy, Muddy, Sandy, Dry, Paved, Unpaved, Packed or soft. Notice. And with generosity and playfulness, What would you say to the ground below you? You might want to thank it for its support. Acknowledge how it's doing. Comment on the effect of the weather on its state. Take a few moments to have a conversation with the earth. Let the conversation unspool. And if you get distracted, Just return to your feet and the earth and even your breathing as a center for your focus. Thank you. Begin to wrap up your gentle, Perhaps flirtatious conversation with the ground. Return to your body and breath. And maybe you want to take a few steps. Walking in the space in which you find yourself or envision yourself. Going deeper and further. Draw your eye or just your mind's eye to a plant. Be a grass, A fern, A bush, A tree, Maybe some wildflowers. Extend your focus to that item. And chat with it. How are you, Grass or leaf? How are you doing? Have a fun conversation with this living yet unmoving object. Ask it about its experience. If you get distracted, Just come back to this space. This environment and awareness or just your breath. Enjoy your conversation. Wrap up your conversation with that grass or tree. Bush. Returning to your body. Your feet on the ground. Maybe you want to take a few more steps into your environment. The woods, The desert. The sand, Wherever you find yourself. Go a little deeper. Even if it's in your mind's eye. Go farther. Breathing. Deeply in and slowly out. Are there any animals in your field of view? A chipmunk. A finch. A squirrel. A worm. Something that can move of its own accord. Draw your attention to an animal. Examine it with a generous awareness. A kind and playful spirit. Talk to it. Hey squirrel. Hey puppy. Whatever you find in your walk. Ask it how it's doing. Be curious about its experience. So different to you and yet living in the same spaces. When at some point in this conversation you get a little distracted. Just return your attention to the animal and the talk. As you would return your attention to a close friend in conversation. Maybe you're smiling a little now. Enjoying this walk. Taking a few more steps deeper into the experience. And letting your eyes float all around and to the periphery. Above, Below, Left and right. Taking in the whole of your space with kindness and play. And talking a little to that world. What does it need? How are you doing? Great world. Share a moment in conversation with the environment. When you're ready. Wrap up that conversation. You can say goodbye or not. It will still be there. And begin the walk back to the space of people and friends and loved ones.