Welcome to walking session number six.
Today's session is dedicated to returning,
That is,
Taking another turn in our lives.
Let's begin by shaking off all the tension in our bodies by first shaking our hands and arms and moving from side to side,
Tapping parts of the body where you feel tension.
Now decide which leg will be stepping first.
As you lift the right foot,
Feel the bottom of the foot lose contact with the ground.
As your feet hang in the air,
Observe your breath and allow yourself to relax further and delve deeper into this practice.
Now move your foot forward and observe the sensation of the foot coming back into contact with the ground.
Now lift the other foot and attend to the experience with the same awareness.
You may continue taking these steps with a count of three.
So lift your foot from the ground.
From the ground.
One,
Two,
Three.
Hold it in the air.
One,
Two,
Three.
And place it back on earth.
One,
Two,
Three.
If your mind wanders,
Bring your attention back to the feeling in the feet leaving the ground and then touching the ground again.
Walk 10 to 15 steps and then mindfully turn around.
Notice any tension in your breath and allow yourself to relax further.
As you turn,
Notice how the hips,
Legs and torso adjust to the turn of the body.
Now walk slowly taking a step every three or four seconds.
Bring your attention to the space in which you are gently moving.
As you become acquainted with this slow gait,
Bring your awareness to the five gaits in your body.
These include,
First,
The top of the head.
Second,
The middle of the palms of the two hands and the middle of the balls of the two feet.
Bring your mind to these areas.
Feel,
Imagine and sense your awareness opening and connecting to the energies of the universe.
Feel your whole body expanding the energy from your body reaching out in all directions.
Also notice and feel your whole body listening while standing and opening.
Heighten your awareness of the sounds in your environment and where they land and reverberate in your body.
After opening the five gaits,
Proceed now to take the three gulps,
Which are about taking a big drink from nature.
On each inhale,
Raise your arms above your head and then let it move down the front center of your body up to your belly button at each exhale.
Send the energy down on each exhale.
Do this a few times until you find your whole body reverberating inside the space around you and your mind radiating a sense of release of all thoughts and worries and in a heightened state of awareness.
Now we will repeat a mantra to deepen our practice of walking and grounding ourselves to the earth.
Repeat with me a few times now.
So say to yourself,
Each step reminds me to cherish and return to the present moment.
Each step reminds me to cherish and return to the present moment.
Periodically stop,
Stand,
Open the five gaits and repeat the three gulps.
Then continue to walk and then stop again.
Periodically stop,
Stand,
And open the five gaits.
Notice and feel the subtle and variable movements in the surroundings.
Repeat the three gulps and then continue to walk again and stop again.
When you are done with the period of practice you set yourself out to do for today,
Stand still for a few moments and make mental notes about how this experience of slow walking has made you feel.
As you move out of the period of meditation and back into your daily life you can retain some of this mindfulness of the body.
Thank you for joining me in this walking meditation.
Salam.
