“It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it.” John Burroughs
This year I have vowed to spend much more time outside- at least a little bit every day, if possible. Winter has always been a hibernation season for me, and while I never much complained about the cold and snow (born, raised, and still live in Wisconsin), I never really embraced it either. Having a dog does get me outside, and I have really added to my collection of warm winter gear to help protect me from the elements, so that has been a good start. Not really a fan of skiing, snowmobiling, or ice fishing; snow shoeing is a bit intriguing to me, though. Maybe someday.
For now, I have taken to winter walking meditation. First, if you have never done a walking meditation, it can be a fairly easy thing to get the hang of. Some people who have trouble with seated meditation, and being still with their breath and thoughts, may find the “mindfulness” of walking much easier. When you are engaged and incorporating your senses, it still takes you “out of your head,” but you have things to pay attention to and may not have as many errant thoughts buzzing around. Have you ever noticed when you try NOT to think, all you can think about is thinking? Seated meditation is definitely a discipline that takes a lot of practice.
What Is Walking Meditation?
Walking meditation is really about connecting to your surroundings using your senses. Being an active participant in nature is powerful and humbling, and can really help to change your perspective toward the positive. Take your time to see everything there is to see. Explore the details of everything around you with as many of your senses as you can and change up the ones you are paying attention to often. Slip in and out of honing in on what you are seeing versus what you are hearing and so on. I usually do a little gratitude journaling in the morning before going out, so that even if my thoughts wander from my observation, I have a vat of gratitude to focus on instead of going down a rabbit hole of distracting thoughts.
For winter walking meditation it goes without saying that you need to be dressed for the weather. While “feeling cold” is something you could experience as part of your journey, we all know it is unpleasant and it would be much better to try and avoid it. There is something to be said about being dressed appropriately. Knowing it’s cold and blustery, but being well protected against it can be empowering. In my experience, the softer the scarf, the cozier the hat, the thicker the socks all add to the “feel” or “touch” part of the walk. Speaking of touch, I HAVE to have mittens. Even the thickest, warmest gloves leave my fingers cold and missing each other.
Finding a good place for your walk is the next step. I like trails in local county or state parks, just make sure they aren’t designated for cross county skiing or snowmobiling, or at least be aware these are a possibility for you to encounter. I usually go in the mornings on a weekday, so most of the time I’m all alone. I personally like fresh or packed snow to walk on, but some paths that are paved may be cleared of snow if that is easier for some to navigate. Neighborhood walks are fine; there are wonderful things to observe there, too. For me, it’s too distracting- I find myself paying too much attention to other people’s landscaping and getting ideas for my own yard, and on and on. My preference is usually a route no more than two miles, so I don’t usually bring water or anything I have to carry. I bring my phone if only to capture a picture here or there, or to track my miles. I choose not to listen to music, more on that in a bit.
Once you have your route set, your gear on, it’s time to set your intention. As you approach the trail decide to leave all your worries and to- do lists right here. They’ll be here waiting for you when you are all done, and won’t seem nearly as daunting after you’ve taken this time for yourself. Once you’re cleared of all the mental clutter, begin to observe your surroundings.
What Do You See?
Are there a lot of trees? Are there still some traces of snow on the branches, or icicles hanging where leaves would be? Are there some open fields with tall grasses being weighed down by heavy snow? Are there footprints in the snow or are you blazing your own trail? I like to watch small trees sway in the wind. I try to cement the bareness of the branches in my mind to be able to compare them when they are lush with green leaves in the summer, or littered with golden, red or orange ones in the fall. I look at the snow and try and imagine if it’s light and fluffy or heavy and iced over- it can be deceiving at times. Maybe there are little ice crystals tracing the branches of the bushes for you to get close and observe. Nature’s art exhibit on full display.
What Do You Hear?
Personally I don’t like to listen to music on any walk unless it is a full on power walking session for exercise. I don’t have music on when I walk my dog because I want to spend that time with her and work with her while she still needs some guidance. I especially don’t like to listen to music during walking meditation because I want to fully engage my senses to my surroundings and listening can be such a powerful part of that. If you feel like you want to have a “soundtrack” to your walk, you certainly can experiment with that, I’d just suggest to stick with instrumental, otherwise you could get distracted by the lyrics and how they pertain to your life, etc. Music could also be helpful if you can’t avoid traffic sounds on your walk.
If you are choosing to listen to your surroundings, and have the luxury of quiet what do you hear? Oftentimes, on a particularly cold and and windless day, I stand still and hear nothing. The few birds that brave the North for the winter are seeking warmth and shelter somewhere else, and the silence is as pristine as the snow. I take a step. Now I hear the squeaky crunching of the snow under my boot. Another. And another. I change my pace to change the sound, then stop again. Maybe it is a bit windy and I try to tell the difference in the way the wind sounds blowing through the trees versus blowing across a clearing. Maybe it’s a sunny day and the birds are warming up their voices for the coming spring. That hopeful noise is music to winter weary ears.
What Do You Feel?
This one took me awhile to appreciate. I usually don’t walk if it’s below 15 degrees (Fahrenheit), but windchill is a real thing and on some days 30 degrees feels absolutely frigid. Hopefully, I am dressed well, and the only thing that will feel that chilly air is my face. The crispness of that cold, the way it feels in your mouth and nose and lungs as you breathe. I loathe humidity, so I try and hold on to this sensation for those swampy days that lie ahead.
What Do You Smell?
This one is usually pretty straightforward on a trail in the winter. It smells like snow. Most everything that has strong smells is frozen or dormant and this sense can take a break during this season. The curious thing is that cold, fresh snow has a different smell than melting, slushy snow, even when it hasn’t been touched by car tires. Once in awhile I catch a “tree branch”/bark odor, or the smell of the dirt during a spell of thaw.
You may ask if a walking meditation could be done with a dog/partner/friend/child. I would say potentially a nice escape could be had with a well trained canine companion. I’m not there- I have a chocolate lab that will turn two in June which means she is still very much a puppy. We are still working on loose leash walking and she wants to go where she wants to go. If you have a dog that takes your lead well, you absolutely could incorporate their walk this way and get in some good bonding. As for partner/friend/child I would say unless they are fully committed to the meditation experience, it wouldn’t be the same. However, experiencing nature like this with someone you love- it has the potential to be something else, something I like to call soul-filling. Connecting with someone on a walk (more than just “catching up”), really can be a relaxing, meaningful and inspiring experience. Especially with a child, helping them hone their observation skills while snagging some one on one time is priceless. Last winter I insisted my younger son come out on a walk with me on a night when magic fell from the sky. The snow was falling in enormous flakes, multifaceted reflective surfaces sparkling like diamonds. It looked like the fake snow in a Hallmark Christmas movie at its climax. Or that we were caught in a snow globe. To see the awe in my son’s eye’s as we walked in this winter wonderland filled my soul right to the brim.
Try your own winter walking meditation and let me know how it goes for you. I love the thought that all of us would experience this differently and I would love to see things through another pair of eyes.
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