Jessica Stover 0:07 [musical interlude] This recording is an offering of Networks for Training and Development's Online University. Kim Riegel 0:30 Welcome everyone. My name is Kimberly Riegel with Networks for Training and Development, coming to you live from the banks of the Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania. For the next 15 minutes or so, I'd actually like you to join me in a walking meditation as part of our Healing Circle series. Just remember this podcast will be available via our website. All calls are anonymous and callers are muted. Kim Riegel 1:03 So mindfulness walking is a way of being more aware, noticing more. Our experiences are richer, sharper and brighter. So if you want to feel free to walk along with me or close your eyes and try to picture my journey. It's a very hot day here in Pennsylvania. So there's a wind blowing up and looks like there's a storm rolling in, but it is really nice now and I'm going to start my walk. So we're going to begin by focusing on our lower body and expanding our awareness to the entire body. Kim Riegel 1:50 So with our lower body, everybody to kind of just notice the movement, the pace you're walking - is it slow? Is it fast? Notice how it feels. Going walking, you'll actually notice a series of events happening: our heel lifts our soles and peel from the ground, balls of our foot raises and our toes follow along. In the next few seconds, try to notice actually, all 10 toes you can, as you're walking. Kim Riegel 3:07 Notice how we use muscles to kind of balance and tune in. When our walk is light or heavy. Just notice planting each foot firmly and deliberately on the ground. Notice how your weight shifts, which muscles are working. If you have any discomfort or if it feels like a gentle stretch. Notice all sensations and just be present to each movement. So if you're walking at a slow pace, you might feel more sensation. If you're walking at a faster pace, just take a couple minutes and kind of change it up. Walk slow, speed it up a little bit and then slow it down again. Notice how your arms swing, your shoulders, chest, your abdomen moves, the fluid movement of each step. Don't forget to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Kim Riegel 5:20 So next we're gonna pay particular attention to any tactile sensations that we might be feeling as we walk. For instance, the ground beneath you - is it hard when I'm walking on is a pavement? Or is it soft? Maybe walking in the grass or the sand somewhere? Maybe on some turf. Do you feel a cool breeze like I do or is it warm where you are? Is there sun beating down your face? Maybe a bead of sweat running down your forehead, maybe down the middle of your back. Maybe you feel a drop of rain on your face. I felt a couple of those. Again, just take some time to observe all the tactile sensations that you feel as you're walking. Kim Riegel 6:36 Okay, remembering to breathe through your nose and out through your mouth. Kim Riegel 6:48 Next we're going to pay attention to some sights around us. You may see people. If you do, what are the expressions on their faces? Notice nature. Or if you're in an urban area - houses, buildings, cars, different shapes. I'm looking at leaves, some peebles along the road. Shapes and colors. Colors of flowers. And when you're observing, observe with curiosity. Like it's the first time you ever saw what you're looking at. That you're in wonder, or you're amazed. And I see the green grass along the banks and the gray stones along the river bank. Tinge of blue in the water and grey clouds up ahead. Kim Riegel 8:14 Next, notice the smell. Again, take a deep breath. Are the smells strong or subtle? Any sweet smells, flowers, or sour smells? Are they pungent? Just tune into all of them and notice that they may change as you walk. So again, I smelled the water and the rain in the air, some flowers along the road here as I walk. Kim Riegel 9:07 And lastly, notice the sounds as they arrive. Are they loud? Are they quiet? Do they ebb and flow? A car passing me by. Hear that sound come and go. They change with movement. Moment to moment. Or maybe you hear nothing and can just enjoy the sound of silence. Just full sensory awareness. Just keep walking, breathing, feeling, looking, smelling and listening to everything around you or inside of you. Example here, I said your muscles - how they move, how it feels when you place your foot on the ground. Kim Riegel 10:46 So the reason we're doing this walking meditation is you know, we often, you know take things for granted. We're also on autopilot throughout the day. We're up and like I said, we're going and going and going. So if we just stop and pay attention to our surroundings, it kind of helps get the stress out of our head, helps us kind of relax and feel more refreshed and we're more alert to what's going around. Kim Riegel 11:34 So before we end our walk tonight, I'd like to share a little quote, actually, from Pharrell Williams. He says, "Happiness is not about the trophy or the finish line. It's the journey. If you enjoy your journey, you can enjoy life". So again, we're trying to wake up in the morning to the time you go to bed at night, just taking time to pay attention to your surroundings, whether it be a walk, a leisurely walk or on your way to work. So I hope you found this session helpful. Until next time, take care. We'll be joining again on September 7. It's the first Monday of every month at 8PM Eastern Standard Time. Thank you and good night. Jessica Stover 12:40 [musical interlude] Thank you for listening. We hope the information provided was helpful. Don't forget to stop by our website and take advantage of all we have to offer. Transcribed by https://otter.ai