Welcome to your walking meditation.
This walking practice requires a little bit of space.
So create a path that is about 10 to 15 paces long.
It can be indoors,
Across the length of a room,
Or it might be outdoors if you have a space where you won't be disturbed.
And in a walking practice,
We walk quite slowly,
Really feeling the slow transition from the heel to the midfoot to the ball of the foot and the toes with every step.
So we walk for about 10 to 15 paces,
And then slowly turn around,
Returning back to our starting point.
Moving back and forth along this path for the entire practice.
And the hands can be relaxed at the sides or folded gently in front of you.
And in today's practice,
We'll begin by cultivating focused awareness where the anchor of our attention is on the sensation of our feet,
Meeting the ground with each step,
And then gradually we'll transition into open awareness in our walking practice.
So take a moment to find a space to complete your walking meditation,
And feel free to pause the track if you need to while you find your starting point.
In this practice,
We'll begin by cultivating focused awareness where the anchor of our attention is on the sensation of our feet,
Meeting the ground with each step,
And then gradually we'll transition into open awareness in our walking practice.
So take a moment to find a space to complete your walking meditation today.
It might be indoors or outdoors,
And feel free to pause the track if you need a little bit longer to find your starting point.
As you're ready,
Begin by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart.
Your arms can be relaxed by your sides,
Or you might rest one hand on top of the other in front of your waist.
Take a few long and slow breaths to center yourself and bring your attention to the feet on the ground beneath you.
Begin to walk quite slowly,
At about a third of the pace of your normal walk.
You might imagine it's as if you're walking on a creaky floor,
And you're carefully walking across so as not to make a peak.
When you reach the end of your chosen distance,
Be that the end of the room or the end of a 10-foot stretch outside,
Just slowly turning around and beginning to walk back towards your starting point.
Focusing your awareness on the sensation of your feet touching the ground.
Notice the pressure beneath each step,
The way your weight shifts from one foot to the other,
And the way your weight shifts from the heel up to the toes of each foot with every step.
Perhaps you can feel into some texture under your feet,
Like the squish of grass or carpet underneath each step,
Allowing yourself to fully experience each moment of contact between your feet and the earth.
Consider the spirit of this walking practice.
Thich Nhat Hanh says to walk as if with each step your feet are kissing the earth.
Each step in a walking practice is an invitation to bring your attention back to the sensation in the feet,
An invitation into the here and now.
So each and every time your mind starts to wander,
Which it will,
Gently guide it back to the feeling of your feet meeting the earth.
Letting this sensation be your anchor,
Grounding you into the present moment as you move forward.
Continue walking in this way for a few more minutes,
Maintaining this focused awareness on the sensation of each step.
Noticing the rhythm of your walking,
The steady flow of movement and of breath.
Now as you feel comfortable,
Begin to broaden the bubble of awareness to include not just the feet,
But perhaps the breath as well.
Maybe you continue to expand this bubble even farther,
Noticing feeling into the entire body,
Noticing the sights,
Sounds and smells around you without getting caught up in any particular sensation.
Let your awareness expand to encompass the entirety of your walking experience.
This is open awareness.
As you walk,
Allowing your senses to remain open and receptive to whatever arises in the present moment.
Notice the play of light and shadow,
The chirping of birds in the distance,
Or the buzz of activity in your home.
Allow yourself to become fully immersed in this symphony of sensation.
And whenever you need,
Feel free to return to the anchor of the feeling of the feet with every step,
Widening the bubble of attention again only if and when you feel ready to do so.
As we come to the end of this walking meditation,
Gradually slow your pace and come to a stop.
Take a moment to appreciate yourself for taking this time to practice today,
Perhaps laying a hand over the heart as a caring gesture if it feels right.
And bringing your practice to a close,
Carrying a little bit of what you've cultivated in this practice with you for the rest of your day.
