Have you heard about walking meditation? This is the topic of the article.
What is walking meditation, and how to practice it? It is pretty simple. Do you go for walks every day or several times a week? You can meditate while walking. This is walking meditation.
You may practice walking meditation while walking in the city or village, in a local park, or on a hiking trail.
What do you usually do while walking? Where does your attention go?
- Do you talk with your friends or colleagues on the phone while walking?
- Do you walk with earphones, listening to music or a podcast?
- While walking, do you text your friends or check the last messages on your social media accounts?
- Maybe you are just allowing all the problems of the day, things people said or did, to occupy your attention?
Why not give your mind some rest, relieve the stress of work, and train your mind to meditate instead?
Your legs are walking, but your mind is far away. roaming somewhere else. This is the time to practice walking meditation.
What Are the Benefits of Walking Meditation?
What do you gain by practicing walking meditation?
You synchronize your body and mind. This practice makes you more mindful and aware of your body and the world around you.
It’s an opportunity to take advantage of the time you spend on walking and spend it on meditation.
Does walking meditation replace a meditation practiced sitting in a quiet place?
No, it does not. It’s a meditation that you can add to your schedule. Since many people go for a walk, why not use this time more effectively to practice meditation?
Walking meditation is a wise alternative if you are busy and cannot find the time or a quiet place to meditate. As will be explained below, you just walk and meditate at the same time.
This kind of practice is a useful and effective way to release stress and free the mind from useless thinking. It can also improve your control of your mind and thinking process.
- Walking meditation helps you focus your mind and avoid getting distracted by meaningless and useless thoughts.
- If you don’t have the time to meditate, you can use the time you are walking to meditate.
- It’s a meditation you can practice anywhere, while taking a walk, on the way to work, or whenever you walk outside, and even at home.
Conscious Walking versus Auto-Pilot Walking
Where is your attention the moment you start walking? Do you dwell on worries and problems, do you make plans, or do you daydream?
Most of us are busy with something else while walking. The body walks on auto-pilot while our mind is somewhere else. We are busy listening to music or a podcast, speaking on the phone, or occupied with our thoughts.
You walk, but you are inattentive to your body and your surroundings, and you are not living in the present moment.
At this time, you can use the situation to your advantage and train your mind to relax and be obedient to you.
You can pay attention to your consciousness-awareness, live in the present moment, and stop walking automatically on auto-pilot.
Be in the Present Moment
Instead of letting the mind wander away, be unfocused, dwell on problems, or daydream, why not bring it back to the present moment?
It’s pleasant to listen to music, and you gain knowledge while listening to podcasts, but sometimes, leave them and enjoy the present moment.
While walking, you are out of your home, out of your place of work.
Enjoy those moments away from the daily distractions, interruptions, and interferences. Give yourself the gift of living in the present moment, and walk, without occupying your mind with thoughts, music, or podcasts.
You can just appreciate the simple pleasure of walking.
Walking while your mind is calm and aware of your surroundings, is a sort of meditation. It’s walking meditation.
It’s a great way to relax the body and the mind.
Distractions While Practicing Walking Meditations
Walking meditations requires that you keep your eyes open, stay alert of your surroundings and ignore distractions.
Unlike sitting meditation techniques, since you are out, you need to be conscious of your surroundings, so you don’t bump into people, poles, or trees, and do not risk yourself when crossing a street.
You walk around with a silent mind, mindful of your surroundings, the buildings, trees and people, being fully conscious and alert.
While practicing walking meditations, breathe normally. Do not follow the thoughts that enter your mind, nor get involved with them. Just watch them dispassionately.
With this kind of practice, you are not alone, in the privacy of your room. There are people, cars, and noises that distract the attention, which means that you need to keep your focus fixed.
Where to Practice Walking Meditation?
You can practice this sort of meditation anywhere you want.
Some places would confront you with more distractions and disturbances, and you will have to be more focused and alert.
In the City
In the city, there is more hustle, noise and distraction, and therefore, the mind is likely to be more stimulated in a city, and there is more need to anchor the mind.
You might find the park or the beach a little quieter.
Outside in Nature
It’s refreshing to take a walk outside, in nature, connecting with the open spaces, the fresh air, the sights, sounds, and scents.
The stillness of nature and the magnificent landscape tend to calm down and relax the mind.
Walking inside Your Home
Sometimes, it’s not possible to go for a stroll outside. In this case, you can walk inside your home, even for a short distance. Just walk back and forth at a moderate pace while meditating.
While doing so, switch off your TV or radio.
Guidelines for Practicing Walking Meditation
You can walk fast, or you can stroll, it does not matter.
You can walk in the park, along the beach, in nature, or the city. It does not matter where you walk.
A meditative walk is especially suited for busy people. It can be done anywhere, at any time of the day.
Here are a few guidelines to be mindful of:
Pay attention to your Body
As you start walking, pay attention to your body. How does it feel? Are there any tensed muscles? Is there any pain? Do you feel heavy or light?
For a few seconds, strive to become aware of your body and relax while walking.
Your posture
Pay attention to your posture and how you carry your body, straight back or slouching, light gait, or dragging your feet.
Focus
You should strive to focus your attention on the meditation instead of letting it roam where it wills.
3 Forms of Walking Meditations
I would like to suggest three forms of walking meditations:
- Focusing on your body and the environment around you.
- Directing Your Attention to Your Steps.
- Focusing on your awareness.
I suggest you try both meditations, starting with the first one, where you focus on your body and environment.
The second meditation, focusing on your awareness, requires more focus and alertness.
Next, we will be explaining how to practice these meditations.
Meditation 1 – Focusing on the Body and the Surroundings
Be Aware of What’s Going on
Pay attention to what’s going on around you. Look at the passing cars, people, window displays, trees, and whatever is happening around you.
Just look around, be conscious of the world around you, and acknowledge what you see, but do not think about these things.
Pay Attention to Sounds and Smells
Notice the sounds you hear and the smells and scents you smell, but do not get immersed in them.
Just notice the sounds, noises, and smells dispassionately, resisting the tendency of the mind to think about them. Do not follow any associated thoughts or feelings that might arise from the noises and smells.
Be Aware of Physical Sensations
Notice any physical sensations, such as pains, scratches, and tensed muscles. Just observe them calmly, without becoming involved with them. Simply notice them and move on.
Movement
Once in a while, direct your focus to the movements of your body. Notice how you move your legs, the position of your hands, and how fast or slow you are moving.
Also, notice whether you are slouching or keeping your back straight.
Keep walking while practicing the above guidelines.
Meditation 2 – Directing Your Attention to Your Steps
While walking, just focus on your steps. Focus on how you are moving your legs and walking. That’s all. Ignore everything else.
Immerse your whole attention in the act of walking.
Do not think of anything else, but only watch yourself walking. Do not pay attention to your surroundings, people, noises, and objects, except being careful not to bump into them. Be careful and attentive when crossing a street.
Meditation 3 – Focusing on Your Awareness
This kind of meditation requires more focus and attention and might not be suitable for everyone.
In this walking meditation, you direct your attention to the feeling of being alive, conscious, and existing.
Do not follow or get involved with any thought that pops your mind. Ignore everything, striving to be thought-less but fully conscious.
When you catch yourself thinking, bring your attention back and strive to show a lack of interest in your thoughts.
Walk calmly, focusing on the feelings that YOU ARE HERE AND NOW.
It’s like emptying your mind of everything and focusing on the ensuing calmness.
If you have been practicing meditation and concentration exercises for a while now, this would be easier to practice.
Learn more about walking meditation.
Walk and Meditate
As you see, this is quite simple form of meditation, but you need to be constantly on guard to bring your attention back whenever it wanders away.
Take advantage of the time you go for a walk or when you need to go somewhere on foot, and practice Walking meditation, or some people call it, meditative walking. It’s time well spent.
Do you wish to find advice and guidelines on calming your mind and practicing meditation? You can find them in my books:
Calm Down the Nonstop Chatter of Your Mind
Emotional Detachment for Happier life.
