After healing from a painful fall, Hema Kundargi learned the value of walking meditation.
Two years ago, my life changed after suffering a serious injury to both my ankles. The combination of fancy shoes and rain led to a painful fall and a trip to urgent care. There was severe ligament damage on both my ankles. I was ordered to ice, rest and gradually resume back to my normal activities.
I see my life now has split into two parts: before the fall and after the fall. Before the fall, I had a daily routine of walking 5 miles while catching up with friends. Those interactions were energizing. After the fall however, that experience changed drastically. My ankle recovery was slow and sporadic. I went from brisk walking to a stroll around the block. When I walked with my friends, I tried to keep up with their pace and ignore the discomfort signals from my ankle, which often would cause them to be inflamed for a couple of days.
A friend advised me to listen to my body and be kind to myself. It dawned on me that I need to focus on healing gradually. So began my journey of walking alone. Podcasts were my walking companion, until one day when my phone battery was very low and I was forced to walk alone. I was intentional to use all my senses on the walk. I observed the beautiful colors on the trees, listened to the chirp of birds, touched the smooth bark of the tree, and smelled the roses peeking out on the sidewalks. I returned back from my tech free walk energized, happy yet calm and at peace with myself.
While solo walking is the hardest walk of all, it has shown me the beauty of being present. I urge everyone to explore a tech free walk and rediscover the awe of nature. With a Perspective, I’m Hema Kundargi.