Begin by choosing a place,
An indoor or outside walking path about 10 to 30 paces long,
Or a park,
A forest,
The beach or even your garden,
Wherever in nature that is accessible to you.
Try to wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
If you need to change your clothes or shoes or move to your chosen place,
Please pause the recording and resume again when you are ready.
Begin by standing still and becoming aware of your body and how it feels.
Notice your posture.
Feel the weight of your body pressing down toward the ground and your heels pushing into your shoes.
Become aware of all the subtle movements that are keeping you balanced and upright.
Your hands can be in whatever position is most comfortable.
Standing easily at your sides,
Folded gently in front of you or at your back.
In the stillness remain relaxed and alert.
Allow your knees to bend very slightly and feel your hips as your centre of gravity.
Take a few deep belly breaths and bring your awareness into the present moment.
As you begin walking,
Start at a slower pace than usual,
Paying particular attention to the sensations in your feet and legs.
Heaviness,
Lightness,
Pressure,
Tingling,
Energy,
Even pain if it's present.
With each step,
Be aware of the gentle heel to toe rhythm as each foot makes contact with the ground.
Here we are.
.
Be mindful of the sensations of lifting your feet and of placing them back down on the floor or earth.
Sense each step fully as you walk in a relaxed and natural way.
If you are using a path,
When you arrive at the end,
Stop and pause for a moment.
Feel your whole body standing,
Allowing all your senses to be awake.
Then slowly and mindfully,
With intention,
Turn to face in the other direction.
Before you begin walking,
Pause again to collect and centre yourself.
If it helps,
You can even close your eyes during these standing pauses.
This is often called standing meditation.
If you are walking out in nature,
Simply continue walking without any pauses.
If you are walking out of the water,
You can even close your eyes during these standing pauses.
If you are walking out of the water,
You can even close your eyes during these standing pauses.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation,
But being careful not to strain or struggle in any way.
Allow your eyes to focus softly ahead of you,
Taking in as much of the periphery as comfortable.
Try to maintain a soft body and breathing awareness as you walk naturally and easily.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
You might find it is comfortable to link your breath to your step.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Bring your awareness to the taste of the air as you breathe in and out,
Or any other taste you may sense.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Bring your awareness to the sense.
Notice any smell that is around you as you walk.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
When your attention drifts away from the sensation of walking and breathing,
Take notice of those thoughts,
Moods or emotions without judgement and gently guide your awareness back to the present moment.
To the walking.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
There is nowhere else you need to be,
Nowhere to rush to.
There is only time with nature in this moment.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Each step grounds you,
Each breath reminds you,
You are whole.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Allow each step to remind you that all is as it should be in this moment.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
As you're walking,
It's quite natural for your mind to wander.
Whenever it does,
You might mentally pause,
Perhaps noting inwardly the fact of thinking or even where your mind went.
Planning,
Worrying,
Fantasizing,
Judging.
Then gently return your attention to the sensations of the next step.
No matter how long you've spent lost in thought,
You can always arrive right here,
Bringing presence and care to the moment-to-moment sensations of walking.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Breathe naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
During the walking period,
You might alter your pace,
Seeking a speed that allows you to be most mindful of your experience.
In this way,
You'll move back and forth on your pathway,
Discovering that you are not really going anywhere,
But are arriving again and again in the aliveness that is right here.
Breathing naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Breathing naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
If your mind begins to wander,
Allow those thoughts to pass and bring your awareness back to your steps and to your breath.
Breathing naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Breathing naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Bring your awareness to the feel of Mother Earth beneath your feet as you walk.
Breathing naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Bring your awareness back to what you see around you.
Notice the colours and the textures you can see.
Breathing naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
Breathing naturally and fully,
Deeply filling your lungs with each inhalation.
As we come to the end,
I invite you to become still.
Take a moment to thank yourself for taking this time.
And take a moment to thank Mother Earth for her support and nourishment.
I would like to end our practice with a teaching from Thich Nhat Hanh.
He says,
The miracle is not to walk on water.
It is to walk on this earth with awareness.
Thank you for sharing this practice with me.
