Find a bit of ground you can walk on safely.
A path, a park, a hallway, even the length of your living room.
It doesn't need to be pretty.
Keep your eyes open for this one.
We'll be moving.
For now, though, just stand still.
Feel both feet on the ground.
Notice your weight.
Is it more on your heels, or your toes?
More on the left, or the right?
Let it even out.
Now notice the whole body standing.
Your knees, soft rather than locked.
Your arms hanging loose.
Your head balanced on top of your spine.
Standing is something you do all day without It's thinking.
actually a lot of small muscles working together, quietly keeping you up.
Breathe and in,
feel yourself get a little taller...
And breathe out,
letting your shoulders settle.
Now let's start Much walking.
slower than you normally would.
Slow enough that it feels a little silly.
Shift your weight onto your left foot.
Then lift the right heel...
then the toes.
Move the foot forward through the air.
And place it down.
Heel first, then the rest of the foot.
Feel the ground take your weight.
Lift.
Move.
Place.
Now the other foot.
move...
Lift...
place.
Keep going like this.
Each step is its own small event.
You're to not trying get anywhere.
You might wobble a bit.
Walking this slowly is harder on your balance than you'd expect.
That's normal.
Let your arms help, and keep your eyes resting a few steps ahead.
Your mind will wander.
It might start planning dinner or replaying a conversation.
That's fine.
Just come back to the next step.
The feet are always right here.
Now let's add the breath.
You can walk a little faster now, at an easy stroll.
Breathe in for three steps.
In...
two...
three.
And out for three steps.
Out...
two...
three.
In...
two...
three.
Out...
two...
three.
Keep that rhythm on your own.
If three feels too short or too long, change it to four.
Your body knows what's comfortable.
Let the breath carry on by itself now,
and open up your attention to the world around you.
What can you hear?
Birds, traffic, wind in the trees, someone's radio.
Let the sounds come to you.
You don't have to name them.
Feel the air on your face and hands.
Is it cool?
Is it still, or moving?
Maybe there's a smell too.
Wet leaves, cut grass, somebody's cooking.
And look around.
Notice the colors.
The gray of the path, the greens and browns, a patch of sky.
Just seeing.
No need to call anything pretty or ugly.
You might spot something you've walked past a hundred times and never really looked
at.
A crack in the wall.
The shape of a leaf.
Let yourself look at it for a second.
Just walk now.
Step, breath, sky.
Nothing else to do.
If you catch yourself speeding up, that's okay.
Let your pace ease back down until each step feels unhurried again.
Okay.
Start to slow down.
Take a few more steps, each one a little smaller.
And stop.
Stand still, the way we started.
Feel both feet on the ground again.
Take a breath in...
And let it out.
Notice how your body feels now, after moving.
Maybe warmer.
Maybe a little looser in Take the legs.
a moment to thank your body for carrying Your you.
feet, your legs, everything that got you here today.
It does that every day,
and it rarely gets thanked.
Roll your shoulders once.
Look around one more time.
Then carry on with your walk at whatever pace you like.