Walking alone has always provided me with the time to mindfully quiet
my
thinking. Early morning is my favorite time to walk. I mean really
early. The traffic
sounds are at a minimum, the waking birds are at their most vocal.
I begin by just being aware of the environment. I notice the color of
the sky, the
mood the trees set, the way the air touches my skin and
certainly, the sounds.
I always take deep breaths as I start out. Big, steady strides- not
necessarily fast,
but steady. Then, when I feel like I’m in sync, I begin
to consciously turn my mind
off.
I concentrate on my breathing. I inhale for two or three steps then
I exhale for the
next. If thoughts come to mind I discourage them leading
to solo conversation. I
just ignore myself.
Before I know it I am engrossed in doing nothing but moving and I am
as relaxed
as if I were in my sitting meditation position. The pace
matches the rhythm of my
breathing. My pulse is slow and steady.
I thoroughly enjoy nothingness. Often my spirit will divulge important
messages to
me as if by osmosis; they just occur to me completely.
Not as a thought; I am not
thinking, but as a fact, a feeling, a sense. a sensation.
From these messages I may decide upon a few words to use repetitively.
Invariably this phrase touches exactly upon what my spirit and
soul know I need to
address. I continue on until I know it is time to return.
Walking meditation has long been practiced by people who are both physically
and
spiritually enlightened. The two practices go together
naturally. Each provides the
time and space to connect with your soul. Silent or with
music, anything goes.