Today, a simple walking meditation saved me.
I was wrapping up work at 5 o’clock, when I looked down at my dog who had that eager ‘please take me for a walk‘ face. I enjoy my walks with him, and especially at that time of day when the sun starts to turn golden (red light therapy at its best), but today my mind was very cloudy.
I reluctantly grabbed his leash and we set out for our walk. It took me more than a few minutes to notice the busy-ness of my mind. I had walked a whole street with little-to-no awareness. I had thoughts jumping from one task to the other… what got done today, what didn’t, and what would need attention tomorrow. My mind was also transitioning into householder, contemplating what to make for dinner and trying to remember what I had bought at the store this past Sunday.
I remembered… stir fry with quinoa and veggies.
My mind was a mess and I didn’t see it winding down, but luckily, I took that step back to notice. It was in that moment of realization that I heard the birds, crickets, and animals rustling in the woods nearby. I remembered my true nature in that moment and paused to feel the breeze on my face. I don’t want to waste my evenings in a tangle of thought while a beautiful world expresses itself around me. No, this crazy mindset was going to stop now, and I knew just what to do.
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and focused all my awareness (energy) into my feet (which reminds me a little of Naruto lol if there are any nerds out there with me?). My mantra was to massage the earth with my feet and I imagined energetic light roots connecting me to the earth with each step. I smiled as I felt the rough cool street through my toes. Everything began to slow down.
Walking meditation has saved my mind time and time again. I feel like it’s the transfer of energy from my head to a different part of my body (in this case my feet) that gives me a strong sense of relief and calm. I remember taking a yoga class and having the teacher ask everyone to close their eyes. He then asked, “point to the part of the body in which you reside?” Most of us pointed to our head, some our hearts… but he said, “You are your whole body. Not just one part.”
I had pointed to the space between my brow, which I took as a sign that I live mostly in my mind, imagination, and thought. I work each day to ground myself in my body, find activities to nourish my soul, and balance the amount of time spent wandering my mind.
What is your go-to meditation to slow the mind and reconnect you to your natural state?