People walk differently today than we once did.

Our eyes look mostly downwards, mainly towards our feet. While this is often appropriate and practical, it also suggests a pervasively cautious attitude or mood.

Generally, whether sitting, standing, or walking, we hold our forward view lower than the “horizontal”, towards the ground, to physical objects, and the interiors of our minds. Even while observing inspiring vistas, our self-referring thoughts and reactive emotions continue, unrelenting.

Our inward-turned perceptions reflect, and perpetuate, the chronic collapsing of our emotions, breathing, bodily chemistries, self-constricting postures, and life-perceptions.

The way we walk can entrap us, or free us.

Take a look at any city’s footpaths and shopping malls – almost everyone is bewildered, concerned, hunched, self-enclosed, fearful, and certainly not thriving.

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Now picture all those same people walking gracefully upright, their conscious awareness rested openly, not upwards or downwards, inherently connected with life’s natural energies.

Walking feelingly, gazing forward and peripherally, spines and limbs relaxed, flowing, breathing, contemplating in the Mystery.

Imagine our cities filled with such people – innately trusting Life, themselves, and others.

In this attitude, attuned with Earth and Sky, people’s psycho-physical chemistries would be vibrantly healthy within a living sphere of inherent natural joy. And their bodily and emotional energies would be almost inexhaustible, and mostly peaceful.

Fortunately, in the world, there are still people who walk with natural conductivity and conscious awareness.

We might find some among various African and Middle-Eastern nomadic and pastoral tribes. Also, among the Australian Aboriginals, and perhaps some North and South American natives, and other cultures as well.

Modern influences, however, are resulting in the disappearance of such individuals and their traditions.

Conscious walking is also practiced by some within contemporary versions of ancient cultures that are still informed by serious life practices of various kinds.

And almost all Fully Awakened humans move and walk gracefully, with natural conductivity.

Most importantly for each of us, however, is…

“How do we walk?”

.Do you move elegantly, powerfully, consciously aware in the Flow of Space within which you arise?

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Walking with conscious awareness tunes our body-minds to the universal Mystery, supporting connections with energetic and etheric fields.

Rightly aligned human posture for natural movement helps to connect us to those fields.

When walking, gently elongate the neck with the head buoyed above, relax the chest, level-up the pelvis, and keep the torso upright and at ease. Relax your lips, tongue, jaw, and throat. Attune your ears to listen widely to everything around. Gaze outwards along the horizontal line, neither up in the air, nor to the ground. Even when downward-looking, retain the attitude of gazing forward, into infinity.

Slouching, with eyes downwards, reinforces subjective inwardness and self-reflection.

Walking consciously opens the whole body, elevating energy and attention into the field of life.

Breathe deeply and naturally, in easy rhythm with your stride.

As much as possible, breathe via the nose, with sustained deep feeling, down through the navel to the feet.

Conduct the life-energy with the whole being, including through the skin, into the vital centre of the navel.

Feel the energy of life radiating through the whole body with fullness.

Bring life to your feet and toes, up through your legs and hips, through the spine, diaphragm, shoulders, and neck, and then into and above the eyes and the head.

Walk with heart-feeling, radiating to the horizon and beyond it…

Feel with the head and heart together, allowing thinking to subside.

Observe examples of various non-humans walking and moving naturally – trees swaying, ostriches prancing, flying birds, swimming fish, as well as horses, elephants, and primates.

Feel the grace and economy of their movements.

The conscious exercise of walking – feeling to Infinity through the whole body, head to toe – reconnects us with our native awareness. Conscious walking supports our deepening participation in the processes of natural contemplation. When correctly developed, walking with conscious awareness relaxes constrictions within the body-mind, effectively releasing emotional blockages and limits. This opens and widens our world view.

After a lifetime of doing otherwise, beginning to walk this way can be challenging. You might experience feelings of vulnerability and uncertainty. Observe how your attention continually turns downwards. By degrees, walking naturally requires our yielding of self-control. Walking unconsciously is actually a choice towards either passivity or wilfulness, rather than allowing ourselves to be moved by the living energy flowing through us.

Once you commence experimenting with natural walking, you will likely experience all kinds of resistance, and both automatic and intentional excuses. You will feel awkward at times. This is inevitable, and also necessary. And if you stay with it, much of that will fall away as you begin walking in the flow…

Transform walking, and moving, into something sacred – and about inherent conductivity and contemplation, rather than merely a physical-body activity.

At first, this requires serious intentional practice in a feeling manner, rather than any effort of the mind. Natural walking is not really a physical exercise, at all. It is much more about the cultivation and development of the body’s innate energies, and its contemplative capabilities.

When correctly engaged, sacred walking can profoundly alter our awareness, informing all aspects of psychophysical life and practice.

With time and practice, you may begin noticing wild animals – birds, squirrels, and others – becoming more accepting of your presence and movements. You will also come to feel connected to the trees, and even the grasses as benevolent and percipient observers of your walks. The many tree forms are good examples for our human form – of flexible variety, power and strength.

If you have mobility concerns, apply the same approach, with all necessary attention given to your personal issues. Every one can improve the way they move, walk, breathe, live, and exist in the world.

To enhance your ability to combine with the practice of natural walking, find a flattish, open, quiet and safe area where you can relax and enjoy the process…

– Stuart Camps