September 22, 2013
There was a time in my life when I had a meditation
practice. I would sit down every morning with my eyes closed for 30 minutes.
Silencing the mind was not an easy thing for me, but I recognized the value of
creating as much inner peace as possible, so I sat.
Today I find that the best type of meditation for me is
walking in nature. It’s not the mindfulness walking meditation that Thich Nhat
Hahn advocates where you move very slowly and focus on each footstep. I’ve done
that, and I love it, but it’s not me at the moment.
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| Gumbo Limbo |
When I walk, I move briskly and always say ‘Good Morning’ to
the people and dogs I meet. I smile and radiate as much love as I can muster in
the intense sunshine. There are also a few trees that I call out to on my
route, ‘Hello Gumbo Limbo’ and a little further down, ‘Hello Lovers’. The
lovers are two trees entwined – a ficus, or strangler fig,
that holds onto and has wrapped itself around a palm. I love these trees and it’s such fun to shout my greeting as I walk by. Some day I will stop and talk to them.
During my walking meditation, I don’t think about what I
need to do, or what I should say to someone, or reviewing things that are
bothering me. I also do my best to not latch onto thoughts or problems and I
even try to avoid labeling or naming things (Hey, there’s a glossy ibis!) Other
than my ‘Hellos’ I spend this time in silence.
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| The Lovers |
My new walking meditation brings me great peace. I use a
soft focus with my eyes and if something draws my attention I look at it and observe,
but I don’t usually try to figure it out. I just notice it and keep walking.
Before long I feel like I’m part of the environment – not a person out in
nature, rather an individual piece of the whole that exists only in that
moment. I am one with the crabs, birds, spiders and fish, geckos, lizards,
bunnies and snakes, trees, flowers, grasses and mangroves. I leave the park
feeling peaceful, content and happy.
When I lived on Orcas Island, my favorite walk was around
Mountain Lake in Moran State Park. I found that no matter how sad, depressed
or frustrated I was, spending an hour with the firs, cedars and hemlocks would
transform me. They were able to change my energy – for the better.
Students often tell me they have a hard time quieting their
minds. Try this walking meditation and you’ll find that just being in the
moment and observing things around you quiets the mind without any effort. It
will also bring a smile to your face.
