WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.399 We appreciate your interest in today's Meditation 00:00:02.399 --> 00:00:05.259 Life Skills podcast. We're sincerely grateful 00:00:05.259 --> 00:00:14.519 for your support. This is a mindful walking practice 00:00:14.519 --> 00:00:18.219 for us to practice at home in a quiet room where 00:00:18.219 --> 00:00:20.879 we have a little space to walk around or perhaps 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:24.179 outside if we have some quiet outside space. 00:00:25.780 --> 00:00:28.550 And it can help us to more fully notice sensations 00:00:28.550 --> 00:00:31.609 of walking, if it's possible to remove our shoes. 00:00:32.590 --> 00:00:36.009 So if possible, starting by removing our shoes, 00:00:36.170 --> 00:00:42.210 if this is okay for you. And then finding a place 00:00:42.210 --> 00:00:46.990 to stand. Standing with the feet about a hip 00:00:46.990 --> 00:00:50.609 -width apart, with each foot firmly grounded 00:00:50.609 --> 00:00:54.969 and planted on the floor. Standing upright and 00:00:54.969 --> 00:00:59.140 straight. but not stiffly, and allowing our arms 00:00:59.140 --> 00:01:02.380 to hang loosely from our shoulders, allowing 00:01:02.380 --> 00:01:04.879 our shoulders to drop and our head to remain 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:11.739 upright, supported by our neck. Bringing awareness 00:01:11.739 --> 00:01:14.700 to our body in this moment, what sensations are 00:01:14.700 --> 00:01:19.680 around right now? Allowing the breath to breathe 00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:22.920 itself in the background, whilst directing our 00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:26.060 awareness to our feet. and the contact between 00:01:26.060 --> 00:01:29.260 the soles of our feet and the floor beneath. 00:01:30.019 --> 00:01:32.700 What sensations are in this part of our body 00:01:32.700 --> 00:01:40.000 right now? And then, bringing our awareness up 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:45.939 our legs, into our hips, pelvis, into our back 00:01:45.939 --> 00:01:51.359 and abdomen and chest, our arms, shoulders and 00:01:51.359 --> 00:02:03.719 head. And just standing. Starting now by gently 00:02:03.719 --> 00:02:06.719 bending our knees just slightly and then straightening 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:12.379 our knees a couple of times. So bending and straightening. 00:02:14.599 --> 00:02:17.080 And when we do this, noticing sensations in our 00:02:17.080 --> 00:02:22.099 legs, in our feet, in our upper body. What happens 00:02:22.099 --> 00:02:24.699 in our body as we bend and straighten our knees? 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:29.120 Perhaps noticing changes in the muscles as we 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:33.620 move, tightening and loosening. Noticing changes 00:02:33.620 --> 00:02:40.300 in our sense of balance. And now, with the knees 00:02:40.300 --> 00:02:43.060 straight and feet firmly planted on the floor, 00:02:44.120 --> 00:02:47.840 starting by gently moving our body forward towards 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:55.759 the toes. Keeping our feet on the floor. What's 00:02:55.759 --> 00:02:57.840 happening in the soles of our feet as we shift 00:02:57.840 --> 00:03:03.080 our body weight forward towards the toes? Noting 00:03:03.080 --> 00:03:05.539 changes to muscles in the legs and the back. 00:03:08.740 --> 00:03:11.060 Now bring our body weight back to the centre. 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:14.979 And then shifting our body weight gently backwards 00:03:14.979 --> 00:03:17.819 towards our heels, keeping our feet firmly planted 00:03:17.819 --> 00:03:21.680 on the floor. And noticing sensations in our 00:03:21.680 --> 00:03:24.780 body as we shift our weight. Sensations in our 00:03:24.780 --> 00:03:30.780 feet, our legs, our back. And coming back to 00:03:30.780 --> 00:03:36.280 the centre once again. And whilst keeping our 00:03:36.280 --> 00:03:38.780 feet on the floor, shifting our body to our left 00:03:38.780 --> 00:03:45.280 foot. What do we notice in our body? Now shifting 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:50.629 our body to our right foot. What do we notice 00:03:50.629 --> 00:03:54.650 in our legs? In our right leg, our left leg as 00:03:54.650 --> 00:03:59.990 we do this. Then returning to the centre with 00:03:59.990 --> 00:04:02.669 our weight evenly distributed between our left 00:04:02.669 --> 00:04:05.650 and right legs and between the front and the 00:04:05.650 --> 00:04:13.830 back of our body. And now with the next in -breath 00:04:13.830 --> 00:04:17.329 slowly beginning to move the right heel upwards. 00:04:18.780 --> 00:04:21.680 keeping our right toes in contact with the floor. 00:04:24.740 --> 00:04:27.379 Bring our full awareness to any sensations in 00:04:27.379 --> 00:04:34.279 our body, in our feet, in our legs. And now lifting 00:04:34.279 --> 00:04:36.920 our right foot off the floor, moving it slowly 00:04:36.920 --> 00:04:41.399 forward and, with an out -breath, placing the 00:04:41.399 --> 00:04:45.100 right heel down on the floor. What's happening 00:04:45.100 --> 00:04:53.519 in the body right now? And now allowing the right 00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:56.660 toes to move down to the floor whilst at the 00:04:56.660 --> 00:05:00.019 same time bringing the left heel up with an in 00:05:00.019 --> 00:05:04.819 -breath. Noting the contact between the soles 00:05:04.819 --> 00:05:10.000 of our feet and the floor. Between our heel and 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:19.160 the air. The sensations of movement. And now 00:05:19.160 --> 00:05:21.579 with the right foot firmly planted on the floor 00:05:21.829 --> 00:05:26.649 lifting the left foot slowly up and forward and 00:05:26.649 --> 00:05:30.170 with an out -breath placing the left heel down 00:05:30.170 --> 00:05:35.189 in front of us allowing the toes to follow whilst 00:05:35.189 --> 00:05:37.810 the heel of the right foot begins to lift with 00:05:37.810 --> 00:05:47.490 the next in -breath and repeating this movement 00:05:53.639 --> 00:05:57.120 slowly and bringing our curiosity and interest 00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:01.180 to each sensation that we notice, each small 00:06:01.180 --> 00:06:08.519 movement. Bringing the heel of one foot up with 00:06:08.519 --> 00:06:12.639 an in -breath. Bringing a heel down with an out 00:06:12.639 --> 00:06:20.180 -breath. And now, beginning to walk slowly around 00:06:20.180 --> 00:06:28.819 the area you are in. in this way keeping our 00:06:28.819 --> 00:06:33.839 awareness in our body noticing sensations in 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:41.079 the soles of our feet as we walk noticing sensations 00:06:41.079 --> 00:06:45.339 in our legs what's happening in our legs in our 00:06:45.339 --> 00:06:50.800 muscles our bones the contact between our skin 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:57.240 and the clothes we're wearing as we move, what's 00:06:57.240 --> 00:07:05.339 happening in our back and shoulders, our arms 00:07:05.339 --> 00:07:18.600 and head. and bringing our full interest and 00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:23.660 curiosity to each new step remembering that each 00:07:23.660 --> 00:07:35.660 step we're walking for the very first time synchronizing 00:07:35.660 --> 00:07:42.120 as best we can the in -breath as we lift the 00:07:42.120 --> 00:07:47.439 foot up and the out -breath as we place a foot 00:07:47.439 --> 00:07:55.879 down. Walking in this way, paying attention to 00:07:55.879 --> 00:08:13.699 walking. And if the space allows, where you are, 00:08:14.680 --> 00:08:22.769 practicing changing the speed of the walk perhaps 00:08:22.769 --> 00:08:34.649 walking a little more quickly practicing making 00:08:34.649 --> 00:08:44.600 slower movements and all the while Bringing our 00:08:44.600 --> 00:08:49.559 interest and attention to the sensations in our 00:08:49.559 --> 00:08:59.700 body as we walk. And now with the next step, 00:09:00.019 --> 00:09:05.220 coming to stand. And again, bring the feet parallel 00:09:05.220 --> 00:09:10.179 or hip widths apart. Just gently rocking on the 00:09:10.179 --> 00:09:13.100 feet, forward and backwards, from left to right. 00:09:14.279 --> 00:09:17.679 before bringing our body back to the centre. 00:09:18.700 --> 00:09:23.320 Standing. And allowing the arms to hang loosely 00:09:23.320 --> 00:09:29.779 from the shoulders. And just as we bring this 00:09:29.779 --> 00:09:32.460 practice to a close, bringing awareness to the 00:09:32.460 --> 00:09:37.179 whole of the body. Awareness of the breath in 00:09:37.179 --> 00:09:41.419 the background, breathing. Just taking a few 00:09:41.419 --> 00:09:45.159 moments to settle. before bringing this practice 00:09:45.159 --> 00:09:48.779 to a close and knowing that we can bring mindfulness 00:09:48.779 --> 00:09:51.759 to walking in other parts of our day.