[BLOG] Walking meditation

primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' BoopinDetroit, MI Icrontian
edited November -1 in Community
walk050409.png

4.2 miles

I'm starting to get to know my neighborhood quite well. I've got favorite trees, favorite houses, places where I know the rabbits will be, places I know puddles always are, the skunk place, places I feel comfortable walking, and places I don't feel comfortable walking.

My friend Rachel is a good reality check for me; in the typical Buddhist fashion she speaks frankly and tells it how it is, and I need that sometimes. I'll paraphrase here, but she told me basically to stop being so wishy-washy and just focus on walking meditation practice and the only important thing: breathing. I worked on that a lot tonight and realized how much my mind wanders while I'm walking.

Sunday nights are my favorite. So serene, so absolutely quiet. It was very cold out, but these are the few days in the entire year when all the trees are flowering and the whole city smells gorgeous. Everywhere I walked, there was the heady scent of flowers in the air.

One of my favorite trees gave up a great walking stick tonight; as I walked by it, a branch was just kind of leaning in the crook, having fallen. I grabbed it and tested it and carried it with me the rest of the trip. As I got to near the halfway point, I noticed a man walking towards me from the opposite direction. At first I was slightly nervous and perhaps a little intimidated (he was a very large guy with his head down and a hooded jacket), but then I realized that I was also a large guy, with a hood up—and a staff. He was probably much more nervous about me than I him. We walked by each other and nodded and that was that.

I walked for about two hours tonight. I kept up a steady pace, and the pain went away after the first half mile. I spent an hour of that walk on the phone with a friend; clearly not a good meditation practice, but nonetheless fulfilling.

Twice I had that "turn or go straight" moment—once at 10 mile and Mound (I could have turned right and ended up walking about 2 miles) and again at Stephens and Mound (could have turned right and made it a 3 mile walk). I felt great, however, and just kept going.

Here's the truth: I have another 4 miles in me right now. I feel completely unfatigued, and I almost kept going. I'm not sure what it is, but something is going well.

Things changed.

Comments

  • mas0nmas0n howdy Icrontian
    Nice work! This is the longest walk yet, yes?
  • WinfreyWinfrey waddafuh Missouri Icrontian
    talk on a cell phone softly and carry a walking stick.
  • botheredbothered Manchester UK
    Please mark the skunk place on the map, and where the rabbits are.
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    The rabbits are EVERYWHERE. EVERYWHERE, Bothered.

    Red dots are confirmed skunk sightings

    rabbitsnskunks.png
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