Learn a song: I’m breathing in, I’m breathing out. My breath grows deep. My breath grows slow, calming, easing, smiling to life. Oh life, it’s so wonderful! Oh life, it’s so wonderful. In the present moment.
We have a chance to practice to walk with all of our awareness. To really enjoy just walking. Not trying to get anywhere. Not having to rush.
Aimlessness is one of the doors of liberation. Practice aimlessness by being with each step. Bring our mind back to our body and back to our steps – our left foot and right foot. Keeping our mind present with our body by also being aware of our breath. We coordinate our steps with our breathing. When we breath in we can say ―in silently for however many steps we breath in. and ―out for however many steps we breath out.
We experience our whole being stopping in each step. We rest in each step. This is not a step to get me to the next step. This is a step for the sake of this step. And I’m right in this place at this time on mother earth and I don’t need to be anywhere else. I let all the weight of my body rest in this step. And then in the next step. And I enjoy the air coming into my lungs and leaving my lungs. My shoulders are relaxed and my face is relaxed because I am not trying to get anywhere. Just enjoy these steps.
It’s wonderful to walk. It’s wonderful to have two legs. Our feet are very sensitive and can tell us many things. Our feet can be in touch with the energy of the earth and we can give the earth our energy. Take steps on the earth with great gentleness so that with each step we are kissing mother earth. We can kiss the earth with our kindness and compassion. As a species we are treating the Earth as if we don’t need it. The Earth is feeling a lot of pain.
Taking our time is a way of being non-violent. When we rush we are creating stress and a kind of violence to our environment. So taking our time is an act of peace.
Walking meditation is also a practice of love. Teacher holding my hand I felt his love, his mindfulness, awareness. He was really there for me and the world.
It is a wonderful time to bring up memories of what nourished us in the past and bring that awareness into our bodies again.
We will walk at a slower pace than we usually walk. It is easiest when we are new to the practice to walk slowly. But you can do walking meditation at any speed and any where.
It can be a sense of nourishment. We will stop at times to enjoy the trees and the wind. It is a real luxury so just enjoy it.
From the Wake Up Together Handbook! www.wkup.org