Welcome,
It's Julie.
Today we're going to do a simple walking meditation,
Adding in fresh air and nature.
Central to our experience as humans is the feeling that we are part of something larger than ourselves.
This could be part of a community or simply being surrounded by the greatness of Mother Nature,
All giving us a stronger sense of self that can help us cope with negative feelings.
Elevating our routines and rituals can also bring us into spaces of belonging,
Helping us be more focused,
Manage our anxiety and feel more secure.
Let's take a simple ritual that can easily be added into our daily routines.
Going for a walk in nature,
Either in our garden or to a local park once a week for a walk and a stretch in the fresh air.
If you need to change locations,
Just pause the track for a moment.
When you are ready,
Begin by choosing a spot that you would like to wander through in either your garden or the park.
Let's start by standing still and sensing the weight of your body at your feet,
Feeling your muscles supporting and stabilizing you,
Your arms and hands resting at your sides.
Start to lower your head so that you are looking in the direction of your feet.
Have a soft gaze,
Not necessarily looking at anything in particular.
As you focus on the space between the tip of your nose and the ground,
Become present with the breath.
When you are ready,
Start by taking three deep breaths and as you exhale,
Imagine releasing your breath.
Perhaps stretch,
Shake the arms and legs,
All supporting your body to relax As you begin walking,
Start at a much slower pace than usual,
Paying particular attention to the sensations in your feet and your legs.
Perhaps you feel a heaviness or tingling.
As your feet touch the ground,
Feel every part of the bottom of your foot.
Continue to slow this movement down further.
We will be using the mantra Om today.
Everything is energy and Om is the universal sound or vibrational energy which helps you align with your truth.
Continue walking very slowly and begin chanting Om in the mind over and over.
Let's go.
Start to synchronize your chanting Om with the movement of your feet,
Feeling each part of the sole of your foot connect to the earth.
See if you can now synchronize the mantra,
The breath and the movement.
And as you do this,
Take a moment to notice how you're feeling in your body.
If you start to get lost in thoughts,
Just allow them to come up,
Let them go and bring yourself back to the breath,
The mantra and the movement.
As you slowly walk,
Start to absorb the beauty and positive energy of the space you are walking in.
You can now start to let go of the mantra.
You can stop walking.
You can look up and become aware of the noises around you.
Take a moment to connect to how your body feels and perhaps stretch.
I look forward to seeing you back here next time and may you always be supported on your journey.
