Alright, so, I’ve been trying to get this “Walking Vigil” thing down, right? It’s like, this whole meditative walking practice that’s supposed to be super chill and help you connect with yourself or some higher power, whatever you’re into. I’m not usually one for all that spiritual stuff, but hey, I figured, why not give it a shot? Stress has been a real pain lately.
So, first thing I did was try to find a quiet place to walk. Easier said than done in the city, let me tell you. I ended up at this park near my place. It’s not exactly a zen garden, but it’s got some trees and a little pond, so it’s better than nothing. I started off just walking at my normal pace, trying to, like, “be present” or whatever. Honestly, my mind was all over the place. Bills, work, that weird noise my car’s been making…you name it, I was thinking about it.
Then I remembered something about focusing on your breath, right? Classic meditation stuff. So, I tried to pay attention to the feeling of the air going in and out of my lungs. In, out, in, out. Sounds simple, but it’s actually kind of hard when you’re used to just, you know, breathing without thinking about it. I kept getting distracted, but I just kept bringing my attention back to my breath. Baby steps, right?
After a while, I started to notice my feet. How they felt hitting the ground. I tried to match my steps with my breath, like, one step for each inhale, one step for each exhale. It felt a little silly at first, like I was some kind of robot, but after some time it did get a bit more…rhythmic? I don’t know the right word. I started noticing other things too. Like, the way the sunlight felt on my skin, the sound of birds chirping, the smell of the grass. It was kind of like my senses were waking up or something. And then, for a brief moment, I did feel a sense of calm. It didn’t last long, but it was enough to make me want to try again, to find the “god roll” of this Walking Vigil.
So, what I learned from this whole thing is that it’s not as easy as it sounds. It takes practice, just like anything else. You’re not gonna become some enlightened guru after one walk, that’s for sure. But, I think there’s something to it. It’s like, a way to slow down and appreciate the little things, you know? It seems I need more time to practice and keep trying.
Here’s what I’m gonna do next time:
- Find a better spot: Maybe a nature trail or something, somewhere with less noise and fewer people.
- Go longer: I only did it for like, maybe 20 minutes this time. I’m gonna try for 40 minutes, like some guide said, and see if that makes a difference.
- Leave my phone behind: Or at least put it on silent. No distractions.
- Keep practicing: Maybe do this a few times a week and see if I can get better at it, get that “god roll”, you know?
Anyway, that’s my experience with this “Walking Vigil” thing so far. It’s a work in progress, but I’m gonna keep at it. Maybe it’ll help me chill out a bit, maybe it won’t. We’ll see. But I will keep recording my practice.
