Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris - A Meditation for When You’re Taking a Walk | Bonus Meditation with Alexis Santos

Episode Date: November 19, 2023

Bringing mindfulness to walking is an opportunity to build awareness and relax the mind as you move about your day.About Alexis Santos:Alexis has practiced and taught Insight Meditation in both the East and West since 2001. He has been a long-time student of Sayadaw U Tejaniya (a well respected meditation teacher in Burma whose teachings have attracted a global audience), and his teaching emphasizes knowing the mind through a natural and relaxed continuity -- a style of practice that's particularly useful during our crazy lives. Alexis has completed the Spirit Rock/IMS Teacher Training, teaches retreats across the globe, and currently lives in Portland, Maine.To find this meditation in the Ten Percent Happier app, you can search for “Everyday Natural Walking.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Terms apply. This is the 10% Happier Podcast. I'm Dan Harris. Happy Sunday everybody. Time for a bonus meditation. And this one is meant to be done alfresco while walking while on the go. You might have heard me talking recently about a meditation challenge that's currently up and running over on the 10% happier app. We're calling that on the go.

It's short meditations that you can do while you're brushing your teeth, washing the dishes, whatever. Turns out you can stay mindful while you're doing anything. Doesn't just have to be formal meditation practice. Our teacher for that challenge and our teacher du jour right here on this guided meditation is Alexis Santos. And in this practice, he's going to try to encourage you to meditate while you're walking rather than sitting or lying down. A little bit

more about Alexis. He has been practicing and teaching meditation since 2001. He completed the Spirit Rock IMS teacher training program and he lives in the great state of Maine. Here we go now with Alexis Santos. Hi, this is Alexis. The benefits of walking meditation are many. We walk a lot, so it increases our chances of becoming more aware if it can be mindful while we walk. And it can help settle and relax the mind, grounding us and connecting us with the environment. So let's get started.

If you're not already doing so, go ahead and start walking. Wherever it is, whether you're indoors on a rainy day, or if you're out and about, just walk naturally. The beauty of mindfulness is that from the outside, no one needs to know that you are being mindful. We can move in a completely natural way while also remembering to be aware. So bring in the intention to be aware. You might simply notice that you're walking. How often are we walking? Lost in thought. Disconnected from our own present experience. Notice what it feels like not to be lost in thought. To be walking and simply know that you're walking. You might take a deep breath, connecting more deeply with the experience of walking. As with anything we do repetitively, it's easy to go on automatic pilot, but it doesn't have to be that way. Even repetitive activities can be used to grow and strengthen awareness. So

begin to feel the motions of the body. Allow yourself to notice whatever feels easy to be aware of. You might notice the sensations in the feet as they may contact with the ground, or the experience of the intention to be aware. Simply remember to notice that you are walking. Being aware doesn't need to be difficult. But it does require the intention to remember to be aware. Again and again. What does the direct experience of walking feel like? Notice any sensations or movements that you're able to be experience of walking. See you next time. You might continue exploring ways to bring a sense of ease, joy, and awareness to the experience of walking.

See you next time. Thank you to Alexis and you can find more meditations like this one over on the 10% happier app. Just download the app wherever you get your apps to get started. And don't forget the on-the-go challenge starts on November 13th and you can join now in the app. If you like 10% happier, I hope you do. You can listen early and add free right now by joining 1-3 Plus in the 1-3 App or on Apple podcasts. Prime members can listen ad-free on Amazon music. Before you go, tell us about yourself

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