Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Foreign.
[00:00:12] Hey everyone, and welcome back to the Breathe and Release podcast. My name is Jillian Rose and I am so glad that you're here with me today.
[00:00:23] In this practice, we're going to explore a different kind of meditation, a walking meditation. This is a practice to bring mindfulness and ease into movement. Whether you're walking in nature, through your neighborhood, or even indoors, this is an invitation to slow down, to feel your body, and to connect with the present moment.
[00:00:57] Find a place where you can walk comfortably, at your own pace.
[00:01:02] You don't need to rush. This is not about getting anywhere, but just about being here.
[00:01:10] As you begin, take a moment to simply stand still.
[00:01:15] Feel your feet on the ground, the air touching your skin, and just notice your breath as it flows in and out, in and out.
[00:01:46] And whenever you're ready, you can let your walking begin.
[00:01:52] Slow and steady. As we move into this practice together, let your steps be very natural.
[00:02:15] No need to force anything. Just simply notice the rhythm of your walking, the way your feet lift and land, the gentle sway of your arms.
[00:02:32] If your mind feels busy, that is completely okay. Just gently bring your attention back to the sensation of walking.
[00:03:17] And as you move, let your breath find its own flow.
[00:03:22] You might notice it syncing with your steps.
[00:03:26] Inhaling for a few strides, exhaling for a few more.
[00:03:33] There's no right or wrong here, just a chance to feel alive in this body, in this moment.
[00:04:17] Now start to widen your awareness a little bit.
[00:04:22] What do you hear around you?
[00:04:25] Maybe the sound of footsteps, the rustle of leaves, distant voices or birdsong.
[00:04:38] Let these sounds wash over you without needing to label them as good or bad.
[00:04:47] Just noticing and just receiving.
[00:05:32] What do you see?
[00:05:34] The colors of the ground beneath you, the shapes of trees or buildings, the color of the sky.
[00:05:47] The play of light.
[00:05:52] Let your eyes soften, taking it all in with curiosity, as if you're seeing this path for the very first time.
[00:06:32] And as you walk, bring a gentle hand to your heart for a moment, either physically or just in your imagination.
[00:06:42] Feel the warmth there, the steady beat of your life.
[00:06:49] And ask yourself quietly, what am I carrying right now?
[00:06:56] What am I carrying right now?
[00:07:01] Maybe there is a tightness in your shoulders, a worry in your mind, a relaxation, a hope or a tenderness.
[00:07:16] Whatever it is, just simply notice it with kindness. Saking be an invitation to release.
[00:07:52] A chance to soften what's been held tight, to breathe into what feels stuck with each step. Imagine the earth rising to meet you, holding you.
[00:08:09] You don't have to carry it all now. Let a question ripple through you.
[00:09:02] How do I want to feel today?
[00:09:06] How do I want to feel today?
[00:09:12] It might come out as a word or a physical sensation in the body, or a color, or even a sound.
[00:09:34] How do you want to feel today?
[00:09:41] And allow whatever it is that comes to mind to wash over you, entering each cell of your being. As you continue stepping forward, again and again and again, as you continue walking, let the following words settle into your steps like a quiet gift to yourself.
[00:11:05] If they resonate, repeat them silently or just listen, letting them weave into your being.
[00:11:15] With each step, I am here, fully alive, fully present.
[00:11:37] I trust my body's wisdom, strength, its rhythm, its knowing.
[00:12:00] I am enough.
[00:12:02] Just as I am in this moment, on this path, I am enough.
[00:12:21] I release what I no longer need.
[00:12:25] With each step. With each step, I let go.
[00:12:44] I am held by the earth, by life, by something larger than myself.
[00:13:02] Feel these affirmations landing wherever you need them, maybe in your chest, your legs, or your mind.
[00:13:15] If one feels especially alive for you, stay with it, letting it move with your steps.
[00:13:24] You are planting seeds of kindness right here, just as you walk.
[00:14:08] Now, let your attention rest lightly on the soles of your feet.
[00:14:14] Feel the heel touching down, the roll through your arch, the push of your toes.
[00:14:25] Each step is carrying you forward.
[00:14:30] Let yourself marvel at that for a moment.
[00:14:35] What a miracle. This body, this breath, this life.
[00:15:13] If your mind wanders to plans, to memories, it's natural.
[00:15:21] Smile at it if you can.
[00:15:24] And come back to the step you're taking right now.
[00:15:30] And this one and this one.
[00:15:35] There's nowhere else you need to be.
[00:16:19] And as you walk, imagine your breath sweeping through you, down to your feet, up through your heart, out into the world.
[00:16:36] You're not separate from this moment, this place.
[00:16:41] You belong here.
[00:16:43] Moving through it, very much a part of it.
[00:17:39] As we near the end of this walking meditation, perhaps slow down your pace even more.
[00:17:48] Let your steps become deliberate, tender.
[00:17:52] Feeling the gratitude of your body for its willingness to carry you, for the air filling your lungs, for this beautiful and important time that you've given yourself.
[00:18:10] Take a few more steps, and then when you're ready, you might want to come to a gentle stop.
[00:18:19] Stand still for a moment.
[00:18:22] Feel your feet rooted on the ground, your breath studying your presence here. Now bring your hands together at your heart, if you like, and offer yourself a quiet bow.
[00:18:43] A thank you for showing up, for walking this path with awareness and with care.
[00:19:21] Whenever you're ready, Carry this sense of ease back into your day.
[00:19:27] Know that you can return to this practice anytime.
[00:19:31] Each step is a chance to breathe, to release, to begin again.
[00:19:38] Thank you so, so much for being here with me on Breathe and Release.
[00:19:46] Until next time, walk gently.
