There is a very nice green belt a block or so from the house, where we can walk the dog once or twice a day. It's a real blessing to have somewhere separate enough from cars and people for her to be off-leash a bit, and run and sniff uninhibited. There is a leash requirement, but if one is discreet a little time off seems to be tolerated.

Sometimes I walk her only out of a sense of obligation to releive her of the bordom of laying around the house all day. Other times, it is to provide me with the same relief. At times, it is a substitue for the meditation practice that I don't maintain consistently. In order for it to be a walking meditation, it needs to be a time free of the usual rambling discursive (and often obsessive) thinking - not an easy accomplishment.

Whatever the motivation, it is a chance to appreciate the climate of the day, the trees, and in general the opportunity for another day on the planet.

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