Hello and welcome.
It's Fei here and I'm here to guide you through a walking meditation where there's no goal to necessarily get anywhere or do anything other than to be present.
For this practice,
Choose a space where you can walk,
Get to a stopping point and then turn around and walk back.
This can be inside or outside and you'll want a path of about 10 to 30 steps long.
This walking pace may be slower than how you are used to walking because there is also a strong focus on connecting the breath and movement of the body.
First we'll start by standing in a nice tall posture.
Weight can be about hip width distance apart.
Find steadiness in your feet and allow the weight to be even in all four corners of the feet.
Your hands can be wherever it's comfortable for you,
Whether that's down by your side or in your pockets or maybe even behind your back.
There is no right or wrong way to do this practice.
Bring your attention to the solid earth beneath your feet supporting you.
Notice the different parts of the foot,
The ankle and all the tiny little muscles and tendons supporting and stabilizing you here.
Thank your feet for allowing you to stand and walk.
Gently shift the weight to the back of your heels.
Welcome your attention to how it feels in the act of shifting the weight.
Now gently lift the toes off of the ground,
Noticing how it feels in the body with the weight in the heels of the feet.
Next shift the weight towards the ball of the foot and the toes.
Maybe here you also lift your heels,
Noticing how the shift in the weight feels.
Return back to having all four corners of the feet planted in the ground.
Notice how this posture feels from the toes to the heels of the feet.
What does the arch of the feet feel like?
Notice if you can feel it sinking down towards the ground.
And if so,
Maybe try actively thinking of lifting those arches up.
Bring your attention to how it feels to be standing tall,
Being supported by your feet,
Your ankles,
Your legs,
Your back and torso.
Thank each part of your body that helps you to stand and move.
Now bring your awareness to the shoulders.
Notice if there's any tension.
And if so,
Maybe try shrugging your shoulders up to your ears and then relaxing them down and away from the ears.
Focus your attention now on your neck,
Your lips and your jaw,
Noticing if there's any tightness or clenching.
Maybe you're clenching your jaw,
And if so,
See if you can soften and relax the jaw.
Perhaps your lips here are slightly parted to invite in a little more relaxation.
Now finally,
Bring your attention to the top of your head and what it feels like to be in this upright posture.
Begin to breathe here in the standing posture,
Imagining the breath flowing in from the bottoms of the feet.
This breath is helping to keep you lifted and upright.
And as you exhale,
Imagine the breath flowing out of the body and out through the feet to help keep you grounded.
Take a few deep breaths in as you watch the breath move in and out of your body.
Invite in an attitude of mindfulness called beginner's mind.
Welcome your awareness to each breath and moment as if it were your very first time doing this.
Notice what it looks and feels like with a fresh set of eyes.
We'll walk in place slowly by first shifting the weight into the left foot.
Take a slow and even inhale to lift the right foot up and as you exhale,
Lower the heel of the foot down,
Rolling forward to the ball of the foot.
And again,
Shift the weight over now to the other foot.
On your inhale,
Lift that left foot up,
Noticing what it feels like.
And then as you exhale,
Lower the heel of the foot down,
Rolling towards the ball of the foot.
Bring your focus to the support of the ground,
The lifting and lowering of each foot.
See if you can notice any differences in your body as you alternate between your left and right foot one more time.
Take a slow and even inhale,
Lifting the right foot up.
Take a moment to pause here,
Noticing what it feels like to have your foot suspended in the air.
Notice how the body is supporting you here in this posture and how your whole body is engaged.
Gently scan how the body feels from the heel of the foot all the way up to the top of the head.
Maybe you feel wobbly and that's okay.
Or maybe you feel strong and sturdy.
Allow whatever your body is feeling to be there without judgment.
On your exhale,
Allow the heel of the foot to find the ground,
Rolling all the way to the ball of the foot.
On your next inhale,
Lift the left leg.
Pause and notice if there are any differences in the body when lifting the left foot.
Do you feel the same on this side?
On your exhale,
Allow the left heel to find the ground and roll towards the ball of the foot.
Now,
We'll add in walking this time.
Inhale to lift the foot and then exhale to lower the foot.
Try to move with your breath so that it is a slow and mindful movement.
Continue this at a slow and even pace until you reach your stopping point to turn around.
Focus your attention on this movement from the heel of the foot to the arch and then to the toes.
If you're wearing shoes or socks,
Bring your attention to how it feels against your skin as you move.
Or if you're barefoot,
What does the ground feel like beneath your foot as you step?
Is it warm or cool?
Is the texture smooth or bumpy?
Does it feel soft against your feet or is it firm?
If your mind begins to wander to the things you need to get done or things from the past,
Be gentle with yourself and know this is what the mind naturally does.
When you notice it,
Non-judgmentally,
Bring your attention back to the breath and the movement of the feet and body.
If it's helpful,
You can even say to yourself the movements you're making,
Such as lifting the foot and lowering the foot.
With each step,
There's no goal to get anywhere or do anything,
But instead,
Invite into each step an opportunity to arrive back here in the present moment.
When you get to your spot to turn around,
Allow both the balls and heels of the feet to sink into the ground.
Allow the weight to be balanced between both feet.
Perhaps you even close your eyes,
Bringing the awareness of standing internally.
What does it feel like to be supported by the ground?
What does it feel like to no longer be in motion?
Blink open the eyes,
Welcoming them back to your environment,
And slowly and mindfully turn towards the other direction and begin to walk back.
Welcome the mind back to matching the breath to your movement.
Exhaling as you lift up one foot,
And then exhaling,
Inviting the foot to meet the ground.
Continue this cycle until you reach your next stopping point.
Bring your attention to the pace of your steps.
Are you moving a connection with your breath?
Has your pace sped up or slowed down?
There are no wrong answers here.
Perhaps you begin to change the pace intentionally,
Noticing how it feels to move faster.
Does that feel easier or more challenging?
Or perhaps you begin to slow down the pace even more.
What details of this walking practice do you notice now that you maybe didn't before?
When you reach the end of your stopping point,
Allow stillness to settle in the body.
With a beginner's mind,
What does it feel like now to be standing still?
Even though this is the first time standing still,
What do you notice in your body?
As you breathe in and out of the nose,
What does the breath feel like?
What does it sound like?
Open your awareness to the sounds around you.
What do you hear?
Perhaps you hear the hum of an air conditioner,
Or the busyness of a nearby street.
Or maybe you hear birds and the sound of wind floating past you.
What do you see around you?
Is there anything new that you've never noticed before?
A leader in mindfulness,
Thich Nhat Hanh,
Said,
People consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle.
But the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air,
But to walk on earth.
Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize.
A blue sky,
White clouds,
Green leaves,
The black curious eyes of a child.
Our own two eyes.
All is a miracle.
As you prepare to move into the rest of your day,
Take note of the miracles you see each and every day.
Send gratitude for those small miracles we often don't see unless we slow down.
Try this walking meditation practice next time you need to get somewhere and see how it shifts the energy in the mind and body.
Thank you for meditating with me.
Namaste.
