The following exercise is a traditional walking meditation.
The exercise appears simple,
But it really requires concentrated attention and awareness.
So watch out for that inner critic who is always in a rush.
However,
If you experience any balance or coordination problems,
Do not try this exercise without assistance from a friend.
First,
Find a place where you can walk for about 10 or 20 paces.
A long hallway will do,
Or a lawn,
A park,
And even if you could try to find a quiet and pleasant spot like a garden.
Stand up and gently shift your weight back and forth and between each foot.
But take your time.
Notice at what point the heel of one foot comes off the ground and notice how your weight shifts onto the various parts of the other foot.
Do you have more weight on the ball of your feet,
On the side,
Or on your heel?
Continue to shift your weight back and forth for at least 60 seconds and I will time you.
You're almost there.
Now,
Slowly shift your weight forward and backward and notice what happens in your toes.
What does your big toe do as you move?
Your little toe?
Repeat this for another 30 seconds.
Continue to shift your weight forward and backward,
But turn your attention to the part of your body that makes you shift.
Is it your ankles,
Your calves,
Your hips?
Notice how hard it is to identify where the movement comes from and continue to rock for another 30 seconds.
Next,
In slow motion,
Begin to take a single step forward,
But only lift your heel a couple of inches.
In which muscle does the step begin?
In your foot,
Or your leg,
Or your knee?
Raise your heel 10 times.
Now,
Change to the other foot and lift your heel another 10 times.
Slowly,
Very slowly,
Lift your foot a few inches from the ground and pay attention to the subtle body adjustments that must be made for balance.
Lower your foot and raise the other foot two inches.
Continue to alternate 20 times as you study which parts of your body are involved.
What happens in your hips?
How much does your body sway?
How does it make you feel to move so slowly and deliberately?
Notice any judgments.
Take a deep breath and let them go,
Continuing to alternate.
Now begin to take slow steps forward,
Four steps with every breath in,
Four steps with every breath out.
Now take three steps with each inhalation and exhalation and do this for a few seconds.
Now try taking only two steps as you slowly breathe in and two more steps as you exhale.
Practice integrating your breathing with your walking for the next minute.
Walking slowly as you can.
When you reach the end of the hall or yard or garden,
Slowly turn around in slow motion.
Take a minute to turn around,
Watching how your balance works,
Then slowly walk back to where you began.
At first,
Each step will feel uncoordinated,
But as you become aware of how your feet,
Legs,
Hips and back and shoulders should move,
Your steps will become more fluid.
The longer you practice,
The more you'll become aware of the texture of the ground,
The colors of the grass,
The sounds,
The exquisite movements of your body.
Whatever you perceive,
Focus on it and then come back to your breathing and take another step.
And don't forget to smile while you walk.
To fully appreciate the power of a walking meditation,
Do it with your friend.
With a little practice,
You'll find that you can take your relaxation with you anywhere.
With gratitude for taking this walking meditation,
Making yourself more aware and peaceful and relaxed,
Namaste.
