Walking Meditation

Walking meditation has been around for thousands of years. Many Buddhist monks from all over the eastern part of the world have practiced walking meditation for millennia.

So What is meditation? If you are new to the concept of meditation we will briefly consult the Merriam Webster dictionary. For our purposes here Meditation means to engage in the mental exercise of focusing the mind on something such as breathing or walking. It does not mean zoning out on your immediate surroundings, or having some lightning bolt revelations. It is about being aware of your body and breath and your surroundings and letting go of outside distractions and just allowing yourself to be present in the moment.

Walking meditation is a wonderful way of transforming something that we do every day into a deeply healing, deeply nourishing and enjoyable tool to help us retain our balance and inner calm. There are many benefits to walking meditation: it can help the immune system, assist in fostering healthy, rhythmic breathing to regulate us, it can help our heart and lungs and many other parts of ourselves rejuvenate.

The main point of walking meditation is AWARENESS, internal awareness. The goal is to focus on your body and how it feels with each step, how each foot feels as it touches the earth with each step. Notice your breathing, notice how your hands and arms feel. Where are you holding tightness, where you can let go of your tension or stress? Just feel your body and your breathing and notice, notice, notice though your 5 senses. No headphones on, silence your phone if you can. Just walking and breathing.

Walking meditation is about being completely present in the moment causing a release of all thoughts that bother or upset you. In walking meditation you focus on each step and the sensation that comes with it. Notice things through all five senses and just be present and not in your head. Your breathing is your anchor. As you are walking, focus your attention on keeping a steady breathing pace as you take each step. If you are agitated your pace may start faster and then gently slow down as you find a comfortable rhythm. As you continue to walk, your pace will slow and become more rhythmic. If you continue to have thoughts of other things invading you , slow your walking to the point you are saying left, right, left, right, if that’s what it takes to shake off the day and continue to steady your breathing and be present.

Continue to notice all parts of your walking; your feet, your muscles tensing with movement, your breathing. If some body parts have pain or discomfort, breathe into them, and release any discomfort. The awareness and noticing of the present and how your body and breathing feel helps draw attention into the process and away from other things. Dedicate your attention to the sensations in the body and let go of everything else. Breathe...and be calm.

1. Walking meditation can be done 5-30 minutes or longer.

2. You can do walking meditation inside or outside

3. Start by standing upright, taking a few deep, slow breaths and begin.

4. Start to draw your attention into relaxing your pelvis and feeling your hips, legs and feet and feel yourself connected to the earth.

5. Next coordinate your breathing and your step taking.

6. As you become comfortable with your breathing and walking you may want to add a pleasant visualization (exhale white golden light or imagine you are walking on a bed of flowers or whatever makes you happy and calm)

7. Continue to breathe. With each step you are healing and renewing