Hello.
Thank you for reconnecting to the natural world through meditation.
Today we are doing a walking meditation where we can connect with our human experience where we live.
So let yourself set out on a wander not knowing what the next 15 minutes will bring.
For starters,
See what kind of movement feels right in your body.
Maybe it's a slower paced walk,
Feeling your weight transfer from the heel of your foot to the ball of your foot.
This is not the time to get somewhere but to simply be exactly where you are.
Let's feel connected with our greater awareness in this context.
As we move,
Maybe we become aware of the resistance your body feels against the breeze.
Maybe you feel a change in your heart rate and how your blood is pumping through your veins.
Now if we shift our focus to our sight,
Notice where your gaze has been naturally resting.
Maybe it's been on the horizon,
Maybe about six feet in front of you.
I invite you to look down at the ground about two feet from your toes.
As you continue walking,
What comes into your view?
Maybe fallen leaves or snow or cracks in the sidewalk or the pavement.
You you Now slowly come to a stop and raise your gaze.
Taking in all that meets your eyes.
What is here?
Where have you journeyed to?
Maybe much is the same as you know you remember.
But what do you notice that's new?
Try and adopt a soft gaze.
This is when you let your eyes slide slightly out of focus,
Not holding a hard focus on any one item.
Maybe noticing shapes and patterns and movement.
Now allowing your gaze to slowly sharpen again.
What do you see?
What is sharper or more present than before?
We can start our slow walking again,
But now tuning into our hearing.
If you have two headphones in,
Just take one take one off.
Let your full focus meet the sound waves that are colliding with your body.
Now seek out the quietest sound around you.
First listening for the sound and then letting yourself look around to identify where it's coming from.
And what's the loudest sound that meets your ears?
What does it feel like to fully focus on that sound?
Is it hard or easy to be with?
Now turning our attention to our sense of smell.
What are all the smells that meet your nostrils?
Now what's the faintest smell?
And the strongest?
And finally tapping into our taste.
We can do this by taking little sips of air.
What do you taste as you inhale?
What flavor lives on the air?
Maybe it's just cold.
Or maybe you can taste the morning coffee brewing from one of your neighbors.
Now you can slowly turn your feet towards home.
I invite you to continue with a slow meditative walk.
Returning back to feeling the weight of our body in our heels and then our toes,
Our heels,
And then the balls of our feet.
And I hope you can bring some of this beauty and heightened awareness with you into your day.
Thank you.
