There’s a path you’re sure to walk this week. To the train, to the bakery, around the block with the dog. Right there you can meditate while you walk, at your own pace, in the middle of an ordinary day.

Walking meditation is one of the so-called active meditations: you practice with what you’re already doing. There is no right or wrong way to walk, no special pace and no technique. All you do is walk, and be aware that you’re walking.

Here’s how you can begin. Feel how your feet touch the ground. Maybe the heel lands first, maybe the ball, maybe the whole sole at once. Notice the air on your face: cold, warm, cool? And if you’re carrying something, a bag for example, feel how your hands and arms feel. Whatever sensations are there, everything is welcome.

Your thoughts will wander off now and then. That’s completely natural and part of the practice. When you notice it, return gently to your feet. This coming back is the practice, not staying perfectly focused.

At first this may feel a little awkward, not like “real” meditation at all. You can simply notice that, too. Movement practices like this one help you arrive in the present moment, with a friendly curiosity for whatever is there.

This practice is part of my course Anytime, Anywhere Meditation, where we practice exactly this: meditation that fits into your life, just as it is.