“SilentWalk” brings musical mediation to the cliffs of Carpinteria

Connect to nature through compositions and concentration; Next event on June 28

By Ellie Bouwer | June 9, 2022

If you happened to visit Carpinteria Bluffs last Saturday, June 4, you might have seen a procession of around 20 people, walking together in silence, their heads wrapped in wireless headphones. This was the final session of SilentWalk, a musical meditation experience led by composer, meditation expert and founder of MindTravel Murray Hidary.

Created in 2013, MindTravel uses music and meditation to help people deepen their connection with nature, their community and themselves, and SilentWalk is just one of many meditative experiences they offer. Hidary believes that music, community and nature are the three essential elements of a MindTravel experience. “When you put these ingredients together, most of the time the magic happens,” he explained. “They each have their own connective and healing properties.”

SilentWalk attendees receive a pair of wireless headphones connected to a transmitter that streams Hidary’s original compositions, as well as his live voice-over. Its microphone picks up small ambient noises from the environment, such as birds, waves and the group’s footsteps, which are superimposed on the soft piano, immersing the participants in the auditory richness of their environment. Other distractions, such as conversations from passers-by, are reduced to a faint echo.

As he walks, Hidary urges his participants to notice sensations in their bodies and to move with intention. Its focus on simple sensory experiences allows even those who don’t practice meditation to reap the benefits of mindfulness. Through this shared human experience, Hidary hopes his audience will remember that they are not alone.

This is the first time the SilentWalk has been offered in Santa Barbara since 2019 due to the COVID pandemic. Hidary has started offering his tours via Zoom, where attendees can join wherever they are. “We invite people from dozens and dozens of different cities to walk together,” Hidary said. “There’s something very unifying and connected about it.”

MindTravel is hosting a Silent Piano Experience on Leadbetter Beach on Tuesday June 28th.