A wonderful day out spent with 17 noble friends connecting with an inner stillness through nature and meditation. We were blessed with a sunny day at the start of autumn. Here are 3 sharings from the day.

Sharing by Tejal Doshi
I was eagerly awaiting my second "Walking into Stillness" after a very memorable and positive first experience a few weeks back. Surrounded by the beautiful pastures of Hampstead Heath we began the walking meditation; focusing on imbibing the energies from the nature into the mindful activity. As we wondered deeper, trying to concentrate on the soles of our feet, the external hullabaloo became more and more distant. The sounds of people chattering, dogs barking, children squealing seemed to get fainter as I strived to internalise my focus.
Before we knew it, we were seated in a secluded spot continuing the stillness. This was followed by a guided session, led beautifully by Nisha, focusing on two elements: air and fire. I found this very powerful and could feel myself re-energising, trying to harness all the goodness from the mesmerising sunshine we were blessed with that day.
A circle of sharing concluded the session and I am grateful to have been a part of it. I felt grounded and connected and my personal challenge is trying to sustain those vibes in my day-to-day life... I'm still working on that one!



Sharing by Kiran Shetty
The Walking in Stillness at Hampstead Heath has been a wonderful experience. I describe it as a journey that starts with a slowing down, arrives to a point of inner stillness, where the inner seeing is so distinct and easily flows into a meditative space.
Anil led the walk and his gentle & steady pace was helpful. Nisha enhanced beautifully the seated meditation time with the 5 elements of nature meditation which blended in beautifully.
It was an added bonus to have a group so warm and friendly. In the personal sharing’s
I saw a commonality of experience and for me that is the ‘oneness’ aka ‘connectedness’.




Sharing by Mumta Nanda
During the walking meditation, something in me moved at a deep inner level from knowing to feeling my connection with Mother Earth, about being in the body and in the present moment. It was as if I could feel the stillness in movement. The moment we started I became aware of some discomfort in my shoulders and had to adjust the straps of my backpack. The next moment I felt the roughness in my hands. According to Astrology, my Sun is in Gemini. And shoulders, hands, lungs are ruled by Gemini. It seemed as if my body was telling me to pay attention to what was happening.
I suffer from asthma. A few days earlier I had become aware of my high pulse rate. During the walking meditation, insights and understanding started to flow through about my breath. I realised that my breath can be quite fast and shallow when I am struggling to breathe and that this could be causing the high pulse rate.
I can struggle to walk uphill or climb stairs. With the slow pace and mindfulness of the walking meditation, I did not have any problems walking uphill. It felt as if the connections between my feet/legs and lungs/diaphragm were being mended.
Once I relaxed, I became aware of the sounds around me. It felt OK to keep awareness of my feet on the ground and listen to the birdsong. It felt as if I could use more than one of my senses simultaneously and retain my centre, my inner stillness. I trust that with time and continued practice this new found ability will strengthen and it will get easier to be in the world and stay connected to the Source within.
I realised gradually that I was receiving a gift for life. I have been able to carry this new-found awareness with me. It feels as if my inner rhythm is in better sync with the rhythm of Mother Earth. And the best thing is that I am able to breathe comfortably.
I am deeply grateful for this experience, and to all the people who came to the walk and helped me feel the value of Sangha. I have been struggling to breathe during the last few weeks. It feels as if the group energy has helped move what I had not been able to shift on my own.