Take a Walk in the Woods

In almost any season, it’s valuable to get out of the house, take a walk in the woods, and connect with nature. What a welcomed delight to think of taking off your shoes and walking barefoot in the grass. A walking meditation is a container for that connection. It not only connects us to the earth, but it delivers us back to ourselves in profound and curious ways. We feel fed, held, and revitalized.

Walking meditation is the practice of mindfully stepping, so that each step reminds us to be present

In the tradition of Ayurvedic Medicine, it is said that the first step in the disease process is a break from nature. The Ayurvedic physician will often prescribe a healthy walk in nature each day as well as a practice of either growing food or cooking your own food each day as a pathway back to health and wholeness.

Just a Few Minutes

Walking meditation is the practice of mindfully stepping, so that each step reminds us to be present, right here, right now. Everything else becomes a backdrop to our union of foot to earth. It is done slowly, without the intention to “get anywhere.”

It may be practiced for just a few minutes before you escalate into your exercise routine. A walking meditation may also be incorporated into your stress management practice, along with slow conscious, full-body breathing. However, you weave it into your day, know that the earth is always there, supporting you, holding you, and feeding you, and all you have to do is notice.

How do you incorporate a walking meditation and what do you notice?