Moving Meditations with Ompractice

Episode: Ompractice Moving Meditation – 10 Minute Walk with Dominic

Date: March 17, 2025
Host & Guide: Dominic

Overview

This episode offers a gentle, 10-minute moving meditation guided by Dominic, designed to help listeners cultivate presence, awareness, and gratitude while walking—whether outdoors or inside. Focusing on each step, breath, and body movement, Dominic leads a mindful exploration of simply being in motion, making this meditation accessible for anyone, anywhere.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Space & Intent (00:01–01:00)

• Invitation to Participate:
  • Dominic welcomes listeners and invites them to find a quiet walking space—whether outside, indoors, or simply pacing back and forth.
  • “Find a space where you won’t be interrupted, just a small area that you can kind of pace slowly back and forth.” (00:11)

2. Anchoring Attention in Movement (01:01–03:30)

• First Point of Focus — The Feet:

  • Listeners are encouraged to notice the mechanics of each step:
    • The pace they’re taking
    • The feel from heel to toe
    • The shifting of weight side to side
    • Micro-adjustments while moving or turning
  • “Let your attention kind of start with noticing each step. There’s a lot of ways you can kind of deconstruct this.” (00:23)
  • Mentions to notice if there’s any sense of “rushing” and to intentionally slow down by 5–10%.

• Redirecting Wandering Thoughts:

  • Guidance on gently bringing wandering attention back to the sensation of walking.
  • “If your mind wandered and slipped into some pattern, thinking about something you have to do later...softly redirect the attention back to each step, one and then the other.” (01:40)

3. Expanding Awareness — Upper and Lower Body (03:31–05:30)

• Body Coordination:
  • Encourages integrated awareness of arms and legs, even observing the swing or rigidity of arm position and its coordination with the lower body.
  • “Let your attention rest on this relationship between the upper [and] lower half of the body moving through space.” (02:20)

4. Appreciation and Gratitude in Motion (05:31–07:00)

• Mindful Appreciation:
  • Each step becomes an opportunity for reverence and gratitude toward the body and the act of movement.
  • “Each step is a reminder, a[n] opportunity to appreciate the beauty of movement and your ability to participate.” (02:37)

5. Bringing in the Environment (07:01–08:15)

• Visual and Spatial Attention:
  • Listeners are prompted to notice the direction of their gaze and to allow their awareness to include the surrounding environment, while maintaining focus on their own motion.
  • “Notice as you look forward where your eye gaze is focused. As you feel the body moving through space… observe the environment around you.” (03:00)

6. Closing & Next Steps (08:16–09:45)

• Gentle Closing:
  • Dominic encourages continued mindful movement, guiding listeners to take as much time as needed.
  • “Feel free to continue your movement, your walk, your steady pacing for as little or as long as you need…” (03:13)
  • Thanks the audience for making time to slow down, reset, and move forward with presence and intention.
  • “Thank you for taking time today to focus your attention on slowing down and creating space and opportunity for you to recalibrate, to reset and to move forward.” (03:40)

Notable Quotes

• On Deconstructing Movement:

  • “Let your attention kind of start with noticing each step. There’s a lot of ways you can kind of deconstruct this.” (00:23)

• On Mindfulness and Attention:

  • “If your mind wandered and slipped into some pattern, thinking about something you have to do later… softly redirect the attention back to each step, one and then the other.” (01:40)

• On the Relationship Between Body Parts in Motion:

  • “Let your attention rest on this relationship between the upper [and] lower half of the body moving through space.” (02:20)

• On Gratitude for Movement:

  • “Each step is a reminder, a[n] opportunity to appreciate the beauty of movement and your ability to participate.” (02:37)

• On Creating Space to Reset:

  • “Thank you for taking time today to focus your attention on slowing down and creating space and opportunity for you to recalibrate, to reset and to move forward.” (03:40)

Memorable Moments and Flow

• Dominic’s calm, gentle tone throughout makes the meditation accessible to all experience levels.
• The deliberate focus on the “micro-adjustments” and connections between body parts highlights the complexity and beauty of simple movement, making each moment feel sacred and intentional.
• The meditation is both grounding and expansive, helping listeners connect inwardly and outwardly as they move.

Key Timestamps

• 00:01: Podcast and guide introduction, setting intention
• 00:23: Anchoring in step-by-step awareness
• 01:40: Guidance for returning attention when distracted
• 02:20: Bringing in upper body awareness
• 02:37: Tap into gratitude for movement
• 03:00: Visual awareness and connecting with surroundings
• 03:13: Encouragement for ongoing mindful movement
• 03:40: Closing words and gratitude

This episode delivers a succinct yet transformative walking meditation, perfect for anyone looking to bring mindfulness, appreciation, and gentle awareness to their everyday movement.