I first learned the term “awe walk” while in residence at the Modern Elder Academy in Baja California this summer. The idea is simple. Walk around outside, slowly, quietly, and be present, noticing as much as you can. Awe walks are basically the opportunity to take a walking meditation, and the New York Times even published a piece back in 2020 extolling their virtues.

Although you can really do them anywhere, it helps to be in a place like the Palm Orchard in El Pescadero, Mexico down the lane from MEA’s campus or in my case at the Botanical Garden in Medellín. I decided to go there by myself today so that I could spend as much or as little time as I wanted to without concern for whether someone else was either bored or rushed.

What a great decision. Entry to the garden is free. There’s a ticket booth with people standing in line, but when I stepped up and said I needed a ticket, the guard waved me in so I have no idea what requires payment other than La Casa de las Mariposas (The Butterfly House), which I definitely recommend. You can buy that ticket for about US$1 near La Casa, though.

For the most part, I never had any idea what I was looking at, but I wasn’t there for a botany lesson. I was just there to soak it in, and I invite you to do the same, digitally. I limited myself to only taking pictures of blooms or things that could reasonably be considered blooms, and critters. The resulting pics in the slide show below cover a lot of ground in terms of colors, shapes, and textures.

If you’re not really into meditation, here are a few tips to get you in the right frame of mind.

1. Find a place to sit comfortably. It doesn’t matter where other than it should be someplace quiet and in a position where you think you can avoid having to change to get more comfortable for a few minutes.
2. Place your computer either on a table in front of you or on your lap, depending on where you’ve chosen to sit.
3. Turn off all media except for your computer, and completely silence your phone including no vibrating alerts.
4. Close your eyes, and take several a slow, deep breaths. Try to notice how your breath feels going in and out.
5. When you’re ready, open your eyes, and begin clicking your way slowly through the slideshow. Study each image, trying to image how each part of the plant would feel in your hand. Notice the colors, the textures, and the way the light filters through the surrounding foliage.

Enjoy! I know I did.