Welcome back.
In our last exploration,
I introduced you to the Earth element and its power to stay rooted through all transitions and transformations so you can find your balance in any situation.
The true power of the Earth element,
Of your potential to transform and assimilate,
It can only be accessed through the process of staying rooted to your authentic self,
Recommitting to your heartfelt intention and celebrating and appreciating you as you are.
By doing so,
You nourish and care for yourself,
Like a mother would care for their child.
Today,
We embark on an exploration to embody and harness the energy of Earth through a walking meditation.
This exploration is inspired by my studies of walking meditation with the monks and the Dharma teachers of Doi Suthep temple in Chiang Mai,
Northern Thailand.
I struggled many years with traditional forms of seated meditation.
Finding walking meditation gave me a feeling of coming home.
It gifted me a structured practice and a simple framework where I could exercise agency while cultivating my observer's mind.
For today's exploration,
It is ideal to practice this in nature,
In a quiet,
Comfortable and familiar space such as your garden in your backyard or in the woods where you take your evening strolls.
If you prefer to do this exploration in private,
Make sure you find a time and space that ensures you can walk at a leisurely pace and won't be disturbed by someone else.
You can choose to wear shoes or do this exploration barefoot,
Whichever feels more grounding and supportive for you.
If you are doing this barefoot,
Make sure that you are doing this in a space that is conducive for your bare feet.
Once you've settled in,
Find a comfortable spot where you can begin standing and let your feet be hip distance apart.
Allow your body and head to be straight and maintain this aligned posture as you begin to walk later.
Avoid bending your head forward.
If you bend your head forward as you walk,
You will get dizzy sooner and it will be harder for you to observe fully the walking process.
While keeping your head and your eyes straight,
Look about five to six feet in front of you.
This will keep your eyes looking downward so you can see just slightly ahead of you but you don't get distracted by the other things far ahead from you.
While walking later on,
Do not close your eyes as it may arouse the fear of hitting something or the doubt of losing track.
With this fear or doubt,
Your concentration may waver.
As you are walking later,
Place your palms one within the other,
Palms facing up in front of your lower belly or have them behind you,
Whichever option feels more balanced for you.
The most important thing is to avoid swinging your arms and your hands later as you walk.
Now,
Please position your hands and look about five to six feet in front of you with your eyes casting downwards.
Aim your mind at the point where your foot will touch the ground.
The main goal of walking meditation is to witness the process of walking itself.
We are now going to start by taking a few steps at your natural pace.
Let's begin.
As you walk,
Notice the transfer of the weight of your body from one foot to the other.
Allow your breath to be natural and easy.
Notice the pace of your walking.
Is it hurried or slow?
Notice the weight of each step.
Is it heavy or light?
Notice the ground as you walk.
Is it hard or soft?
Now,
Please take a pause.
In walking meditation,
There are six phases,
Six steps of noticing.
The first part is lifting one foot off the ground,
Then pushing this foot forward,
Moving this foot,
And after that,
There is a dropping down movement of this foot,
A touching of this foot on the ground,
And finally,
A pushing down of this foot on the ground.
Now,
Let's slow down the pace of your walking and see if you can notice these six distinct phases.
Lifting,
Pushing forward,
Moving,
Dropping down,
Touching down,
And pushing down on the ground.
Let's begin.
As you continue to walk mindfully,
Notice these six phases.
Observe if some phases are easier to notice than others.
If you miss any phase,
Slow your step even further.
As you continue to walk,
You may have sensations of heat,
Hardness,
Or softness,
And sometimes you may feel a gentle shaking with a pulse.
Try to observe and notice all of these details.
Take as much time as you need with each movement and each part of every movement.
Please find a place to slowly pause and come to standing with your feet hip distance apart.
We'll now add a layer to your practice.
We'll now add a layer to your practice.
Take a moment to find a clear path where you can walk straight for about 10 steps.
Stand at the beginning of this path.
We will now practice slow and intentional labeling as you practice your walking meditation.
Don't start walking yet.
Listen to my guidance as I walk you through the process of labeling.
Later,
When you are ready,
Start lifting your right foot and as your right foot lands,
Say in your mind,
Right step.
When labeling in your mind,
Do it slowly.
For example,
Right step,
Left step.
As you start each movement,
Start the labeling and as you end each movement,
The labeling finishes.
The stepping process and the labeling in your mind must also be synchronized.
Once you start saying in your mind,
The timing of the stepping must be exact.
Do not move forward too much.
Remember,
You are not in a race.
Also avoid raising your foot too high such that you fall out of balance.
It should feel natural and the maximum distance from the floor to your foot is about 3 inches when you raise it.
Once you finish each step,
Pause for a moment.
An important thing to avoid is lifting or placing one foot while lifting the other.
After the right step is done and touching,
The other one has already been lifted.
In this case,
Two moments of pressing down and lifting up are happening at the same time.
Since you cannot focus on one well,
You will not fully and clearly observe everything.
This is why we pause after each step.
Your mind should observe from the start of the lifting till the pressing down of the foot,
Observing all there is to observe.
Noting the 6 phases,
Observing if it is heavy,
Warm,
Cold,
If you experience softness.
In order to know the object which is your foot,
You have to focus your attention on the arch of your foot during this whole process.
Let's try this together now.
When you are ready,
Start lifting your right foot and say in your mind,
Right step as your right foot lands and the labelling.
Then repeat the same for your left foot,
Lifted and landed saying in your mind,
Left step.
Repeat this process for the next 9 steps until you come to the end of your path.
Let's begin.
Take all the time you need to slowly reach the end of your walking path.
Once you have reached,
Please stop here for a while.
Come to ascending position with your feet hip distance apart.
Then slowly close your eyes.
After closing your eyes,
Note in your mind,
Standing,
Standing.
Noting on standing is seeing yourself with your mind's eye from head to toe.
Take in the whole of your body as it is.
Each time you come to stand,
Note about 5 times,
Standing,
Standing,
Standing,
Standing.
Noting both your upper body and your lower body.
See your whole body with your mind's eye rather than visualising it.
Observe whatever exists.
Please try this practice now.
After your noting on standing is complete,
Slowly open your eyes and now turn your body slowly.
Don't worry about over turning.
When you are turning,
Note it as turning,
Turning,
Turning.
Moving one foot at a time.
After moving one foot,
Guide your awareness to the other.
Noting the moving foot as precisely as possible.
Please try this practice now.
After you complete your turn,
You should face straight down the path where you were walking.
And once again,
Close your eyes.
Now please note 5 times.
Noting on standing,
Noting both your upper body and your lower body.
Please try this practice now.
When your noting on standing is complete,
Gradually open your eyes and now please continue with your walking meditation and repeat the same process to walk back to your starting point.
When you are ready,
Lift your right foot and as your right foot lands,
Complete the labelling in your mind.
Right step.
Then repeat the same process for your left foot,
Lifting it and landing it,
Saying in your mind,
Left step.
Remember,
The start and the end of the labelling should synchronise with each step.
Repeat this process until you come to the end of your path.
Take all the time you need to reach the starting point of your walking path.
Once you have reached,
Stop for a while here.
Come to a standing position with your feet hip distance apart then gently close your eyes.
Please note on standing here 5 times,
Seeing yourself with your mind's eye from head to toe.
After the noting is complete,
Open your eyes and turn your body slowly and as you are turning,
Moving one foot at a time.
After you complete your turn,
You should face straight down the path.
Here,
Once again,
Close your eyes and note on standing for 5 times,
Noting your upper body and your lower body,
Seeing the whole of you with your mind's eye.
When this process is complete,
Reorient yourself and as you exhale,
Settle back into this position.
As you inhale,
Feel your body and your head align with the sky.
Align with the sky.
Let's take 3 deep breaths here.
Inhale deeply and exhale fully.
Inhale deeply and exhale fully.
Inhale deeply and exhale fully.
If your eyes are open,
Gently let them close.
Visualise yourself standing at your origin and under your feet.
See energetic roots growing and extending down into the earth's core.
Feel your roots immersed in nutrient-rich soil beneath you.
As you continue breathing,
Visualise,
As you inhale,
The earth's energy flowing upwards through your roots,
Through your legs,
Into your lower belly.
As you exhale,
Notice how relaxed you feel.
With each inhale,
Feel the earth's energy rising up to your lower belly.
With each exhale,
Continue to soften and yield your body down towards the earth herself.
Continue breathing as more and more energy pours into your lower belly,
Charging up your entire body.
Notice how this energy feels peaceful,
Nourishing,
Energising,
Yet grounding.
Acknowledge and appreciate this life-giving energy that the earth is channelling into your being.
Appreciate and acknowledge that the earth is here holding,
Nourishing and supporting you.
See the same qualities of mothering,
Nourishing and supporting from the earth mirrored inside of you and realise that you too have these qualities to give life in your relationships,
Your projects and all aspects of your being.
You are welcome to continue visualising the earth's energy channelling into your body for as long as you like.
When you feel ready to conclude your meditation,
Smile to yourself and to the earth.
Allow this appreciation,
Gladness and contentment to spread through the whole of your being,
Saturating all of your consciousness and let it also spread down through your body,
Through your legs,
Through your feet,
Through your roots,
Back into the earth herself.
Gently and slowly place one palm on top of the other on your lower belly acknowledging and sending gladness to this energy of the earth element that is deep within you.
Exhale to bow your head slightly down to this space and with your next inhale bring your palms together from your lower belly moving them in front of your heart so they come into a gesture of gratitude and prayer.
Slowly and gently open your eyes and bring this life-giving energy with you into the rest of your day.
As the harvest season shifts into autumn the leaves start to change colour transforming into shades of russet,
Flaming orange,
Reds and golds like the energy of sunset and the waning moon.
Earth gives rise to metal.
In our next conversation we will explore the metal element and how you can harness the power of your inner critic and transform regret into clarity and courage.
I'll see you there.
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