Last weekend I climbed out of my car and set off to walk a suburban nature path with an ever-present buzz swirling in my head. “Do I have time to do this now? When am I
going to get the zipper fixed on that lightweight suitcase? This wind is colder than I expected. How
many bids do I need to get for repainting the kitchen? I should have worn a warmer jacket.”
Well, at first I didn’t actually HEAR
the words—these endless reminders and prods are so familiar to me they
just rumble on like that background music you hear in the mall or the grocery
store. And like that background music, I often wish someone would please, just
turn it off!
I shook my head to break the
auto-stream in my brain. To clear the din, I put my focus on my feet,
noticing the sensation as each step put me in contact with the ground, acknowledging
the solid earth beneath me, the stable support that holds the weight of my
movement. I like this practice of simplification, even for a brief moment. Of
having nothing more in my mind than making contact with my path.
Gradually, my awareness expanded to
include the sound as well as the feeling of my feet on the gravel.
For a few steps, all other sounds were silenced—no background buzz from my
brain. Just noticing variations in left and right foot, The difference in the
impact of each foot.
For a few steps, my awareness held
steady on the sounds and sensations of my feet. Then, I noticed the intrusion
of laughter from a group of walkers on the path ahead of me. I picked up the
hum of highway traffic in the distance. Soon, the chatter of birds in shrubs along the path floated into the mix.
An unexpected surge of joy swept over
me, rippling the surface of my skin with elation at my body’s amazing skills. All
these sounds that my brain could detect and name simultaneously, without conscious
input from me! This awesome cooperation
of ear and brain that asked nothing more from me than simply noticing!
It’s so easy, walking this familiar
path, to hear nothing at all beyond the babble of my thoughts. No bird song, no
footsteps, no whispers from the fabric of my jacket as my arms swing at my
side. Nothing wakes me from the dutiful pattern of getting my daily exercise until
willful intention steps forward and suggests that I pay attention. Then, what
wonders await me!
Oh, how I thank the part of my brain
that knows how to make these choices. Knows how to clear the swirl of a
too-busy mind and tune into life’s everyday miracles.
Find more tips for bringing mindful focus
to your walks at Take A Walk on my website. If you want my occasional
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