The Headspace Guide to: Mindfulness & Meditation

by Andy Puddicombe

Exercise 8: walking meditation This exercise is also available as a guided meditation at www.getsomeheadspace.com/headspace-book/get-some-headspace As you begin to walk, notice how the body feels. Does it feel heavy or light, stiff or relaxed? Don’t rush to answer the question, but take a few seconds to become aware of your posture and the way you’re carrying yourself. Without trying to change the way you’re walking, simply observe how it feels. Much like the breath, the walking process is so automated and conditioned that you won’t even need to think about it. So just take a moment to observe it, to notice it. It’s quite common to feel self-conscious when you do this, but the feeling usually passes quite quickly. While you won’t need to think about the process of walking, you will need to be aware of what’s going on around you, so take care to notice cars, other people, road signals and the like as you’re doing the exercise. Begin by noticing what you see going on around you. It might be people walking past, shop window displays, cars, advertisements and all the other things you’d expect to see around you in a busy city. If you live in the countryside, it’s more likely to be fields, trees and animals instead. Notice the colours and shapes, the movement and perhaps the stillness too. There’s no need to actually think about what you’re seeing – simply to see it and acknowledge it is enough. Take about thirty seconds to do this. Then turn your attention to sounds – what can ...