Hello,
My name is Osiris and I'm Rais Yoga and Healing here on Insight Timer and everywhere else in the social media realm.
My pronouns are my name,
So Osiris,
Osiris.
Thank you for joining me today for this outdoor walking meditation.
To begin,
Find a comfortable place you can walk outside,
Whether on a flat trail,
Down your block,
Or back and forth on your front lawn.
Have comfortable shoes on,
Or even go barefoot if it's safe for you to do so.
Bring some water,
And have a comfortable way to play this recording.
Feel free to pause this and come back when you're ready for your walk.
Before we begin,
Remember that you can pause at any moment,
Take a seat when needed,
And do anything that feels safe and good,
Even if I do not cue it.
Now that you're ready,
Let's begin.
Start by standing at ease,
With your back straight from tailbone to crown,
Allowing the natural curvature of your spine to take hold.
Let your arms down at your sides if possible.
Relax your muscles and release your fingers of tension.
Allow your gaze to be slightly downward to lengthen your neck and to see the ground and space in front of you.
See if you can feel the strength and integrity of the ground beneath you,
Holding you steady and guiding your experience today.
Consider taking a moment to play around with your balance,
Maybe shifting back and forth on your toes and heels a couple of times.
And if that doesn't feel safe,
Maybe sway your arms a little or roll out your wrists for blood circulation and joint relaxation.
With your lips closed,
Feel the movement of your breath coming in through your nostrils,
Down your chest and stomach,
And back out to your chest,
Throat,
And nostrils.
Notice the temperature of your breath at each stage.
Maybe it's a little cooler at your inhales and warmer during your exhales.
When you're ready,
Begin reverting back to your natural breath,
That is,
The breath that is both unforced and unaltered.
As you begin your walk now,
Notice what's around you.
If you have headphones in,
Take a moment to move them slightly off of your ear so you can hear the reality of what is around you,
Regardless of where you are.
Maybe it's the trees swishing in the wind,
The buzzing of cicadas,
Or the squeak of a tricycle.
As you notice,
Use your breath to synchronize with your steps and slow your gait.
Maybe your inhale is in sync with your left foot and your exhale is in sync with your right foot.
Finding balance within your body and connecting it with movement not only assists in building your mind-body connection,
But aids in your connecting with the world around you.
Maybe practice this on your own as we move into silence for the next minute.
This time,
We will shift our attention from our external environment to our internal environment.
Maybe bring your awareness to your body.
Try walking normally now and count your breath.
There is no need to adjust your breathing,
Deepen it,
Or hold it at any point.
You are simply counting the length of your inhale and the length of your exhale.
You do not need to match them or think about your breath count if they are different,
Just count.
As you count,
Notice if your pace,
The temperature outside,
Or moving your body in general is affecting the length of your breath.
Is it shorter as you tire?
Is it longer as you shift your focus on your breath?
Or is it about the same throughout?
Do this on your own for a minute of silence,
And I will cue our return together.
And now,
For the next couple of minutes,
Enjoy your walk in silence and simply notice.
If you find your mind wandering,
Try practicing one of the exercises we've played around with.
Maybe listening to the sounds around you,
Synchronizing your steps and breath,
Or counting the length of your normal breath.
In these next three minutes,
There is no need to do anything if you don't want to.
You can also simply walk,
And I will cue our return when the time comes.
You can begin.
You can begin.
You can begin.
You can begin.
You can begin.
You can begin.
Now begin to walk slower than your current pace.
Regardless of what you chose for your silent practice,
Begin shifting your focus back to your connection with the earth.
Walk with a sense of ease,
Paying particular attention to how your legs feel as you walk and shift from left to right.
Notice how your heel lifts,
Foot arches,
And steps forward.
Feel each step as it connects to the ground beneath you.
Move up your leg and notice the feeling in your knees.
How are they feeling?
Do they ache or are they relaxed?
Then shift up to your thighs and notice the power and strength as they hold you moving forward.
As one of the most powerful parts of your body,
Your legs hold you and carry the weight of your body.
Take a moment to thank them.
As we end our walk,
Take a minute to find a final stopping point.
Maybe it's back at home,
On a bench,
Or by a tree.
And when you get there,
Begin to settle into your body and sit in silence.
I will offer you a minute of quiet and allow you to settle into your body and your surroundings before we close out together.
As we close out this practice,
In the same way we began,
Ask yourself to sense your inner strength.
Standing at ease,
Lengthen through your spine and relax your arms.
Steady your legs and notice how your body feels after your walk.
Notice any sensations that may have arisen and consider how these sensations differ from those at the beginning of this practice.
Breathe normally.
In finding and relishing in what's around you,
You make it that much easier for your body and mind to cultivate resilience when you need it most.
Realizing peace and calm when it is easy,
Like during this walk in nature or outdoors,
If practiced often,
Will help you in healing and building strength when it is difficult to do so.
If it feels good,
You can join me in closing this practice by placing both hands flat on your heart,
One on top of the other.
Bow slightly and smile.
Thank you.
And may your day be filled with light and ease.
