Welcome to your mindful walking meditation.
So put on whatever clothing is appropriate for outdoors,
Or if you prefer you can do this indoors.
Just make sure you have enough space to walk around freely.
Before we go anywhere though,
Let's just stand for a moment and close our eyes.
Tap into how you're feeling right here and right now.
Notice any sensations that call out in your body.
Notice your emotional state and notice your mental state.
Excellent job.
Alright,
Let's get out for this walk.
Start by just taking one step at a time.
I mean this both literally and figuratively.
Notice what it's like to walk.
Now walking is something that we can do habitually,
Automatically.
But let's use this meditation to turn it into something that's conscious,
Something we're mindful of.
So as you set off on your walk,
Let's notice this walk from the inside out first.
Notice how your feet feel.
Notice how you put pressure on different parts,
And the left foot and then the right.
Where does each step start on the foot and where does it end?
Can you feel the gentle impact with the heel and the pushing of the toes?
Can you start to make this habit more conscious?
Can you notice how your feet feel in the shoes?
Can you notice how weight shifts from left to right in each foot as you take each step?
Now bring awareness in to the rest of the leg.
Can you feel what muscles work to propel you forward?
Can you notice the calves?
Can you notice the thighs?
Can you even notice the glutes?
Can you notice all these muscles working in this beautiful unison,
Turning on and turning off to allow you the freedom to move forward?
Now start to notice what's happening in your hips.
Notice how your hips sway left and right,
But also up and down.
Making almost this figure of the hips to move forward.
If your walking pattern is different and there's different sensations that are coming up,
Then by all means focus on those.
But just start to notice what is happening in your body.
You've been walking for a little while now,
So start to bring attention to the upper half.
Can you notice your arms swaying side to side?
This gentle back and forth motion?
This motion that is helping again to propel you forward on your journey.
Can you notice how your hips are moving forward?
This is helping again to propel you forward on your journey.
Can you notice how your hands feel?
Is there any tension where there doesn't need to be?
Can you just walk in a very natural way and just observe how it happens?
Can you notice how the air is parted by your hands and your arms as they literally cut through the air in front of you?
Can you notice what's happening in your core?
And this isn't a signal to start engaging it,
Although that may be a good idea.
This is simply a signal to start paying attention to it.
Can you feel the different muscles in your belly and back supporting as you walk forward?
And now that you've been out walking for just over five minutes,
Can you feel what's happening inside your body?
Can you feel the lungs working?
Can you feel the heart working?
Can you be open to all these sensations,
The little miracles that happen just to keep you moving?
Bring awareness now up to the neck,
Face and head.
Can you notice how the neck is stabilizing the head?
Can you notice how the body is moving?
Can you feel the blood flowing?
Can you feel the blood flowing?
Can you feel the blood flowing?
Can you feel the blood flowing from your head?
Can you notice the air touching your face?
The temperature,
The coolness,
The warmness?
Maybe the mixture,
The cool air,
The warm sun.
Maybe it's rain.
Whatever the sensations are,
Can you just observe them,
Accept them and not judge them?
Can you enjoy the feelings that come with being outside or the feelings that come with just walking?
Let's turn now to the sensations of walking from the outside in.
As you look around,
Can you see the vivid colors,
The textures all around you,
The variety,
The things close and the things far away?
Can you see the cars,
The street,
The walls,
The trees,
The sky,
The clouds,
Whatever it is?
Just start taking your surroundings.
No need to get lost in thought about what each of these things mean or start to ask yourself questions about them,
But rather just see them,
Notice them,
Observe them.
Can you see the technicolor that is life right in front of you?
Can you now turn your attention to what you hear?
The cacophony of sounds all around you,
Traffic,
Birds,
People,
Your own footsteps.
No one greater than the other,
Just noticing whichever one calls out to you the most.
And the cacophony of sounds all around you,
Traffic,
Birds,
People,
Your own footsteps.
No one greater than the other,
Just noticing whichever one calls out to you the most.
And as one replaces the other,
We form no attachment to the sight,
Sound,
Or feeling.
We simply move on,
Just allowing this awareness to develop.
Turning our attention now to the smells,
Some pleasant,
Some maybe not so pleasant,
But can we instead just observe them,
Notice them?
Instead of trying to work out exactly what they are,
Simply notice what it's like to smell.
And now with this collection of information that you have,
The sights,
Sounds,
Smells,
And feelings of walking,
Can you maintain this open awareness as you carry on your walk?
This rich tapestry of life laid out before you,
Can you notice all of it?
Enjoy the rest of your walk,
Stay mindful.
