Sometimes, the best views are hidden in the most unexpected places. A sliver of the sky between buildings. A flower breaking through the sidewalk. A single bird on a power line chirping like the world is listening. Lately, I’ve found that one of the most grounding and sacred things I can do is go for a walk - no big plan, no destination - just me, the earth beneath my feet, and a heart open to whatever shows up along the way.
Yoga Off the Mat and Into the World
We often think of yoga as something that happens in a studio, on a mat, in a quiet room with candles, incense, and curated playlists. While sometimes that is true, and those spaces have their beauty, yoga and its poses are so much more than that. They’re a way of seeing, a way of being, and a willingness to arrive fully in the moment, wherever that moment happens to be.
For me, walking has become a moving meditation. It’s been a practice in presence, a chance to slow my inner pace and thoughts, allowing the outside world to remind me that I’m part of something much bigger than my thoughts.
Sometimes I don’t even realize how disconnected I’ve been until I step outside and feel the sun’s warmth touch my face or hear the sound of leaves whistling from the wind. It’s as if the whole world is whispering: Look. I’m still here. And so are you.
The Sacred in the Ordinary
On these walks, I’ve noticed things I used to miss.
A streak of pink in the sky that only lasts a few seconds. The way a tree leans ever so slightly, as if it's bowing to the day. Sunlight filtering through clouds like a blessing. Even littered sidewalks offer beauty - wildflowers pushing through the cracks, defiant and alive.
These glimpses stop me in my tracks. My heart swells. Sometimes, I feel like I could cry - not from sadness but from a deep, overwhelming sense of love. This is what I call
Divine Love - from God, Source, and Earth itself - shining through creation. It is a love that doesn’t need to be spoken to be understood.
It reminds me that we don’t have to go far to feel something sacred. Sometimes, we must look up, slow down, breathe, and notice what surrounds us.
Walking as a Spiritual Practice
In yogic philosophy, this is called
svadhyaya -
self-study through observation and awareness. Walking can become a form of svadhyaya. Every step is a conversation between your body and the Earth.
There’s no need to rush. No need to “achieve” anything. Just an invitation: Be where your feet are. Notice what’s here.
Here’s how I practice this in real time:
- I leave my headphones behind. I want to hear the wind, the birds, the world.
- I saunter. Not like I’m late for something, but like I’m arriving to something sacred.
- I look for wonder, not grand or dramatic, but in the quiet, overlooked details.
- I say thank you. Silently, softly. To the sky. The trees. My own breath.
An Invitation for You
Wherever you live - city, suburbs, forest, farm - I hope you’ll take time this week to walk without an agenda. Not for cardio. Not to run errands. Just to be in the world. To soften into your senses. To listen for what you might have been missing.
Even five minutes is enough.
Let the trees be your teachers.
Let the breeze be your reminder.
Let the earth hold you steady.
Because when we walk with open hearts, the world begins to shimmer again. And the smallest, simplest moments become holy.
Let Your Eyes Be Soft
Yoga is not just how you move on the mat—it’s how you move through life. Let this be your practice today:
- Move slowly.
- Look gently.
- Feel fully.
- Be amazed often.
Because Divine Love doesn’t always shout. Sometimes it shows up in a streak of pink sky, waiting patiently for you to notice.
