Walking Meditation on the Four Elements

The four elements practice — earth, water, fire, and air — is one of the less commonly taught objects of mindfulness, but for some practitioners it opens something that sitting practice alone doesn't.

In this talk, Travis Hicks shares why he finds the elements practice particularly valuable, especially when taken outside, and walks through what it actually feels like when it's working well.

Rather than experiencing the body as a contained self with arms and legs, the practice gradually dissolves that boundary — sensations inside and outside the body begin to feel continuous, and the usual sense of separation from the world softens. Travis draws on two vivid personal examples: walking barefoot through dewy grass in a labyrinth at a Houston retreat center in January, and sitting on a rock in a power line clearing in British Columbia with the wind moving through. Both point to the same thing — that this practice is less about analysis and more about direct, unmediated contact with experience as it actually is.

About Travis

Travis Hicks has been practicing Vipassana meditation since 1995 and teaching since 2005. He completed a two-year teacher training program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center under the guidance of senior teachers in the Theravada tradition. Travis brings a warm, accessible style to the dharma, drawing on both classical Buddhist teachings and contemporary psychology. He leads weekly sittings, daylong retreats, and occasional residential retreats for the IMH community.