How to Meditate While Walking
When you next go for a walk, why not meditate as you go? Walk slowly, without rushing, and allow yourself to become aware of your breathing. Focus on your in breaths, and on your out breaths. Do not alter or control your breathing, simply observe it. As you walk say to yourself “in” for each step that you take on your in breath, and “out” for each step that you take on your out breath.
A typical pattern is “in”, “in”, “in”, “out”, “out”, “out”, but this varies from person to person and with the level of exertion. You may find that you take four out breaths to each in breath. So long as you are comfortable and relaxed, all is well.
Simply be aware of your breathing, and of your steps with this counting method. You may like to say “peace”, “peace”, “peace”, “joy”, “joy”, “joy”, or other words that you find uplifting.
Benefits of Walking MeditationAs with all Buddhist meditation, the principal benefit is to bring one’s awareness back to the present moment, rather than being absorbed in the events of the past, or speculating about the future. This full awareness of the present moment, free from the distractions of the ego, is said to be the key to a truly peaceful state of mind.
Walking meditation may relieve a disturbed sleeping pattern, and will encourage a calmer and more relaxed state of mind throughout the day, if practiced regularly. It is a pleasure to practice walking mediation with a friend, not speaking, but simply enjoying some peaceful time together.
Walking or Sitting Meditation?
Walking meditation provides a rhythm and structure which can help people who struggle to stay focused during sitting meditation. Practicing walking meditation in no way precludes the practice of sitting meditation; indeed the two methods are complementary. If walking meditation enables you to calm your mind, then you may subsequently find sitting meditation easier.
While a beautiful, peaceful, natural environment is the ideal place to practice walking meditation, it is quite possible to use it to achieve inner calm in noisy environments, such as an airport. It is often in such stressful settings that people have the greatest need for the peace that walking meditation may bring.
Further Information about Walking Meditation
For further details of walking mediation read the excellent pocket sized book by author, Vietnamese Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hahn, “The Long Road Turns to Joy: A Guide to Walking Meditation”, Publisher Parallax Press.
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