Walking in Mindfulness

The other day, I set my cell phone down on my desk, grabbed my keys and went outside. I started walking freely and deliberately wherever my eyes took me. It was the middle of a beautiful, sunny day. I needed to get out, to be in nature and to experience my senses. The colors were absolutely vibrant; rich green of the grass, pinks, reds, purples, and yellows of the blooming trees and bushes, and flowers. Delicious fragrances of newly mown grass, pure white Elderflowers and delicate purple lilac blossoms.

As I walked, I noticed a desire to lay down upon the earth under a beautiful blooming redbud tree and its lovely purple flowers, on a beautiful green lawn. This lawn was on the property of a very modern set of condos on a very busy street, and at first I walked past the spot, thinking to myself “yes that would be a great place to lie down”, but then I turned around, because this walk I had dedicated to listening to my soul, and my soul, or higher self, clearly wanted to lie down on the grass under this red-bud tree. So I swallowed my self-conscious hesitation, walked under the tree, and lay down under it on the grass, looking up thru the tree at a beautiful blue sky. I watched a hawk flying gracefully thru the air, and began to notice bees pollinating the flowers, and I was reminded of an experience many years ago.

I was walking in a park near my then house with a set of headphones on and a song came on that made me feel so incredibly happy that I wanted to skip. I was probably 38 years old at the time, and there was no-one else skipping in the park, not a single kid, much less a grown man, but this urge was HUGE, and I, having just started getting into a serious meditation practice, felt that this was a defining moment. My soul was clearly talking to me here, and yet the power of my self conscious fear was holding me back from personal freedom. This was probably the first time I had ever really witnessed it, and saw that it truly kept me from my joy. So I looked around, saw that there was no one around, and I skipped all the way down the sidewalk, and it was glorious. I felt freedom of being like I had not felt since childhood, and had a smile of pure joy and ecstasy on my face, until I became self conscious again and stopped. But that was a defining moment in my life, as I saw quite clearly that fear is a thief, and it robs us of our joy.

I have no problem skipping these days, or listening to my soul, I can often be seen dancing down the sidewalk in my neighborhood with headphones and a dog beside me, smiling and loving this precious life. It is a joy and a blessing to be able to communicate with your soul, to know its desires; to trust and follow them, knowing not where they will lead you, but that you will find joy in the journey. Peace to you my friends.