Core Routines: Animal Forms, Expanding the Senses, Questioning and Tracking
Skills Practiced: Silent movement, balance, terrain awareness, body control
Ecological Indicators: Mammals
Qualities Fostered: Quiet Mind, Inquisitive Focus, Sensory Integration
Directions (Shields): Northeast (Integrate), South (Activate)
Suggested Age Range: 7+ (young children enjoy it as a game; teens can refine it as a practice)
Timing & Energy Level: Great after Sit Spot or Owl Eyes (South/Northeast); calming, steadying
Set-Up & Materials:
- Any trail, meadow, or forest floor with some variety in terrain
- No materials needed
- Optional: natural obstacles, leaf litter, sticks, or “noise traps” to increase difficulty
Description:
Fox Walk is the foundational movement skill of Coyote Mentoring. Participants learn to move silently through the forest like a fox—placing the outside edge of the foot down first, slowly rolling through the ball, and finally the heel. Each step is tested before committing weight. The knees remain slightly bent, and the body stays low and balanced. Practiced slowly and mindfully, Fox Walk sharpens awareness of sound, terrain, and movement. It fosters a deep intimacy with the land and prepares the body for tracking, close encounters, and invisibility.
Coyote Mentoring Tips:
- Introduce it after a game like Fire Keeper or a story about wild animals hunting or hiding.
- Ask the group: “How would you walk if the forest were listening?”
- Model with exaggerated slowness and silence—then let them try and teach one another.
- Challenge them: “Can you walk without snapping a twig?”
Variations:
- Pair with Deer Ears or Owl Eyes for full-body awareness
- Walk across different terrains: gravel, leaves, water edges
- Add “predators” or “watchers” they must sneak past
Debrief Prompts:
- “What did you feel in your body when you slowed down?”
- “What helped you stay quiet?”
- “Did you notice things you’d usually miss?”
Story Seeds:
- Stories of fox as trickster and silent traveler
- Predator-prey stories from local traditions
- Tales of messengers or scouts in ancient cultures