A Mindfulness Walk
- Andrea
- May 7, 2019
- 4 min read
Updated: May 8, 2019
Before leading you down the path enjoyed last night please note that every mindfulness walk is unique and all mindfulness invitations depend on several factors including location, number of people present, amount of distraction in the area, weather, time of year, overall environment and intention, if any set for the walk.
The group was small so the less traveled end of a local park was chosen as I wanted a natural environment in a somewhat secluded but safe area away from distractions. On arrival I asked everyone to notice the smell of fresh grass as we strolled out to a private river overlook. As we stood with eyes closed I felt the warm air around me with a slight breeze brushing my skin and dancing through my hair. I noted the sound of the flowing river current and the scent of wet dirt mingled with honeysuckle on the breeze. When we opened our eyes I took several deep and calming breaths, then invited all to participate in a breathing exercise. We proceeded with inhaling for a count of 3, holding for a count of 1, exhaling for a count of 3, holding for a count of 1 repeating this sequence for 2-3 minutes feeling the stress of the day dissipate, enjoying the comfort of the natural world, allowing us to acclimate to our environment and the slower pace.
As our breath to returned to normal I slowly lead everyone to the path I focused on how my foot felt as I pushed it firmly into the ground and how it would flex and roll as I brought my other foot up and out for a step forward and invited everyone to do the same. We focused on feeling our steps as we walked at a slow and even stroll. Turning left toward the area of the park with less distraction I invited all to pace the breath with our steps to bring our minds into a slight meditative state. Keeping eyes downcast we inhaled for 3 steps, held for 2 steps, exhaled for 3 steps, holding again for 2 steps. Repeating this sequence while focusing on flexing of the muscles and movement of the body we rolled with this for a good 5-6 minutes. The breath practice brought focus and calm to the mind while allowing awareness of surroundings for safety. I really became conscious of how good it it felt to be moving. My muscles warmed up and hips loosened while my body was really happy to be outside in the fresh air. I allowed my breath to return to normal and focused on the world around me inviting everyone to do the same.
We moved through several invitations to notice our surroundings and next we shifted to note sound. I heard birds of all types singing over the rush of the river. The variation in the current as water flowed around or through branches and river debris played in my ears. A slight ebb and flow of traffic contributed faint background noise. Leaves rustling and occasional laughter of a child far away were notes on the wind. I welcomed the sound of my shoes striking the paved path in a steady beat and random swoosh of the water moving in my water bottle. I brought my focus back to sound when my attention would drift reminding all to do the same.
The smell of honeysuckle captured my attention and brought me to focus on odors. Inviting the shift to smell I pointed out the honeysuckle in the park, while the invasive vining type, still smelled wonderful. The sweetness of it wafting past with the occasional odor of the cut grass and more earthy scent of the wet river banks and wetlands area off to one side was hard to ignore. At one point we stopped and closed our eyes to intensify focus on the earthy odors and enjoy the experience of smell to the fullest. Odors were plentiful with most being pleasing while some not so much.
As we curved around the wetlands area the difference in the terrain with spurts of tall grasses and weeds caught our attention. When touched some felt soft and some felt rough. We chanced upon what I know to be cockleburs and felt the spiny protrusions that prick. Those comfortable with doing so walked barefoot through the grass indulging in the coolness of the ground and softness of the clover. It felt wonderful grounding myself to the earth through touch with the warmth of the sun across my skin. River birches had the sharp contrast of rough bark peeling off and smoother bark firmly on the tree while the soft needles of an evergreen complimented the smoothness of a flat leaf.
The variation in color and shape of foliage brought focus to vision. With leaves and needles of all shapes and sizes, flowers of all hues, spring is a great time to be mindful of natures colors. The deep red of a cardinal and the brightness of the sun peeking over the trees was a pleasure to behold. The sky was a vivid blue that paled as the sun started dropping with full white clouds dotting the horizon. The colors of the wild flowers and pollinator garden were amazingly vibrant even in shadow.
We paused to watch the river while taking a break to stretch our legs on the railing of the short pedestrian bridge again paying attention to how the body felt. I invited all to join in and we each worked out any remaining
tightness in our own way using the rails for balance and stability flowing through some simple stretches and flexing of body to ensure we were fully loosened up and relaxed. Proceeding slowly back toward our cars we discussed what caught our attention the most and what each of us got out of the walk and as everyone left I reflected deeply on what each person brought to the experience, and reveled in the joy of nature in the middle of a downtown park.
I ended my evening with a calmness of mind, a relaxation of body and happiness in my heart that carried over into today and I invite you to join me for a similar experience.
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