Walking on the Earth Meditation Tuning into Biodiversity This meditation is designed to help you slow down and walk slowly across the earth,
Turning our attention to the steps and what's around us,
Rather than where we're going to.
When we are only focused on our destination,
We can tend to not notice the journey.
By tuning into the steps we take,
You're invited to notice the rich biodiversity of this ecosystem.
Begin noticing your breathing and connecting it with your feet as you start to take very slow,
Gentle steps inside the garden.
Feeling into the soles of your feet on the ground and how the ground supports you as you shift your weight very slowly from one foot to another.
As you take steps,
Making sure that they are really slow and that you're sensing into the physical experience up through your legs and back and at the same time taking full,
Deep breaths.
We are going to do this walking meditation in only a small area,
So you'll want to make sure you're not rushing through this practice and just focused on this small space and your steps.
At a slow,
Mindful pace,
You can begin to turn your attention to the things you might notice.
If something catches your eye,
Pause,
Breathe and spend some time wondering about it.
Looking more closely at this part of nature you've chosen to focus on.
Maybe it's a seed pod,
Or a gum nut,
Or a single blade of grass,
A piece of bark,
An ant crawling on the ground,
Over a stick,
Or some other insect or leaf.
No matter what it is,
Allow yourself to just notice it and be curious.
You might like to touch it,
Notice the texture,
If it makes any sound,
If it has a smell or some other characteristic.
You might notice the rich variety of nature in one small microcosm of this great ecosystem.
Notice how many different trees,
Shrubs,
Grasses,
Seed pods,
Insects and flowers you see walking through this garden.
And afterwards you could research their common and scientific names and discover more about their specific role in the ecosystem.
You might notice different bird songs in the environment.
And if you look up,
You may even be able to spot some of the different bird species.
You might see and hear the warbling magpies,
The colourful lorikeets,
Or the squawking minabirds.
They too play an important role in the ecosystem.
As you look up,
Don't forget to continue to breathe,
Steadying your feet on the ground and taking gentle steps lightly on the earth,
Staying present to what is actually happening in this present moment.
As you walk lightly on the earth,
You might also reflect on how else you might walk light on the earth in your day to day life.
How you too are connected to this ecosystem and have a role to play in protecting and caring for our environment.
Continue walking slowly and carefully through the garden,
Pausing to notice different things that catch your eye and spending some time being curious about them while engaging your senses,
Your body and breath.
Thank you for your mindfulness practice.
