Hi,
My name is Taylor,
And I'll be guiding you through this walking meditation practice.
First find a space that you feel safe and comfortable to walk around slowly and mindfully.
Somewhere you won't feel self-conscious or guarded.
You're welcome to pause this recording if you need to relocate or set anything up for yourself.
Before you begin,
Take a moment to pause.
If it's safe to do so,
You might close your eyes for this part.
Relax into an easy standing posture.
Rest your arms at your sides or clasp your hands together in front of you or behind your back.
Take a deep breath in through the nose and out the mouth.
Take another round of breath just like that,
In through the nose and sigh it out.
Continue through a few more breaths in and out at your own pace and depth,
And notice the sensations of your breath.
What does it feel like in your body as you inhale and exhale?
Now,
Without trying to change anything,
Notice any feelings that might naturally arise.
Maybe you feel grounded or curious or even impatient.
Just take a few moments here to notice.
Then one more deep breath in.
Exhale.
Start to blink your eyes open if you have them closed.
And when you feel ready,
Begin to walk slowly and mindfully.
Stay aware of your breath.
If you'd like,
You can coordinate your breath with your steps.
So you might inhale as you step with the right foot and exhale as you step with the left.
Or to move slower,
You can inhale to lift one foot and exhale as you place it back on the ground.
Move with your breath.
And notice the sensations of lifting one foot,
Moving it forward,
And placing it back down.
Feel the weight shifting from one foot to the other and the subtle movements in your hips,
Legs,
Ankles,
And feet supporting you.
Exhale.
As your gaze wanders across your environment,
Avoid focusing on any one thing for too long.
If you observe something interesting,
Let yourself stay with it for a breath or two and then continue on.
Allow your awareness to drift through your surroundings with a measure of detachment.
If your mind starts to wander,
Gently bring your awareness back to your breath and your footsteps.
Notice the sensations of walking.
Notice your breath.
Continue on your own for another minute or so.
If you are ready to end your walking meditation practice,
Gently return to an easy standing posture.
And for a few moments,
Just breathe.
Last full inhale.
Exhale.
Open your eyes if you closed them and start to take in your surroundings.
Allow yourself to be fully present and reintegrated with the world around you.
Take your time to reorient yourself before continuing on with your day.
Thank you for joining me on this walking meditation.
