A note from Sean
Mindful walking is a wonderful, rich practice, inside or outside, and it is grounding too. I wouldn’t worry about whether it is formal enough. The ways you already practice are valuable.
Try this today. Walk slowly for two minutes, down a hallway or around the yard. Feel the bottom of each foot: heel, arch, toes. When your mind wanders, come back to your feet.
Keep going: A Walking Meditation Script for Deep Grounding and Walking Meditation Worksheet.
This suits anyone who finds sitting hard. If balance or dizziness is a concern, keep your eyes open and a wall or rail within reach, and go gently. Stop when you need to.
Here’s a Sample of the “Mind Your Steps” Guided Meditation Script:
Just as you bring awareness to the body that is sitting in meditation, you can bring awareness to a body that is moving.To practice walking meditation, start by finding about 10 to 15 feet of space. You can walk inside your home, outside in your yard, or anywhere you can access enough distance. Stand still for a moment and close the eyes. Feel the body’s posture, the feet on the ground, and any movement you experience. Open the eyes. Choose which leg will be stepping first.
As you lift the foot, feel the bottom of the foot lose contact with the ground. Moving it forward, observe the sensation of the foot coming back into contact with the ground. Lift the other foot and attend to the experience with the same awareness. Remember that this is both a mindfulness practice and a practice in cultivating concentration. When the mind wanders, come back to the feeling in the feet. Walk 10 or 15 feet, and mindfully turn around.As you turn, notice how the hips, legs, and torso adjust to turn the body.
