Walking with awareness.
As you begin this walking meditation practice,
Perhaps start with walking at a natural pace.
Just as you normally walk and if you like placing your hands wherever comfortable on your belly,
On your back,
Behind your back.
At your sides.
Or just even folding them into another and walking this way.
While you're walking here and if that helps you can also count the steps up to 10.
And then starting back at 1 again once you reach 10.
Depending on where you're doing this practice,
Whether that's in a small space and as you're reaching 10 then pause.
Just pausing this intention.
You know this is a moment of transition.
And choosing a moment to turn around and to begin again with the walking and counting the steps.
And as you're walking,
Remembering that paying attention to the lifting,
Moving and placing of your foot is something that brings back awareness to this moment,
To the movement and to what you're actually doing right now.
So noticing the movement in your legs.
Noticing also the rest of your body.
As you're walking,
Perhaps becoming aware of the shifting of your body from side to side.
It can be very subtle.
It can be very abuse.
Maybe you don't notice it at all.
And that is okay.
This is the beginning.
If you haven't done this before just allowing yourself this experience to unfold.
And while you're walking your attention and your mind might start wondering,
Judging about this practice,
Striving for a certain outcome or just simply doing some daydreaming or planning ahead or lingering on the yesterday.
Whatever happens,
Whatever captures your attention,
Just simply notice this is happening and then coming back to the pure sensations of the experience of walking.
And if you're doing this practice outdoors,
Of course,
There's much more distraction.
And it's important that you maintain a larger sense of the environment around you.
So take it in all.
Stay safe and continue being aware.
And if you have lost track,
Then just simply start again,
Counting your steps up to 10.
Once you reach 10,
You can pause for a moment.
And that's the intentional part before you turn around or before you continue walking and starting is counting the steps from one to 10 again.
And while you're walking here,
Wherever that is inside or outside,
Take a few moments and expand your attention,
Expanding your awareness to the surroundings,
To sounds.
And see whether it is simply possible to paying attention to sounds without naming them.
Perhaps simply noticing the features of sound,
The sensory features,
The volume,
The pitch,
The lengths,
Direction where sounds are coming from.
And maybe even if you're noticing you like them or you don't like them,
It's not so much about it.
It's okay to notice that.
And then to returning simply noticing the sounds as they come and as they go.
Sounds are just sounds.
And then starting to transition and letting go of the awareness of sound and shifting your attention to your sense of smell.
And again,
As you did with the sound,
Simply noticing your sense of smell.
Don't have to force to feel anything at all.
If this is something that you normally don't pay attention to,
Just again,
Treat this opportunity to becoming aware of your sense of smell,
To practice mindfulness and awareness and checking it all out.
The flavor of the smell.
And as you continue walking,
You're also encouraged to become aware of sight.
So getting ready and letting go of the awareness to your sense of smell.
And moving to the awareness of vision.
Simply becoming aware of what you can see.
Objects,
Colors.
And again,
If in between the mind gets involved in distraction,
Daydreaming or just simply taking you away from this practice.
Then just acknowledge what's happening and simply returning to sight to what you can see right now.
Just see whether it is possible to be kind and open and gentle.
Don't be overly rigid or demanding.
Just letting it flow,
Walking here wherever you do this indoors,
Outdoors.
Right now,
See whether it is possible to stay natural the best you can.
Sustaining awareness to what you can see right now.
And then opening the awareness to everything around you.
And just remembering there is nothing to be done right now,
Nothing to fix,
To problem solve,
To change.
It is more about simply opening up the awareness to whatever is showing up,
Whatever is around you.
Just letting it come and go,
Whether that is sounds or sense of smell or vision or just simply the sensations of breathing in the body.
Or even thoughts or emotions coming up and go again.
Just being aware of the here and now,
The sensations of walking and noticing your feet again and again,
Lifting,
Moving,
Placing.
And at the end of this practice,
You might just want to stand still for a moment,
Pausing and deliberately choosing this moment to end your practice.
And see whether it is possible to bring this kind of awareness into the unfolding,
Into the experiences throughout your day.
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