There are many different types of meditation and different styles suit different people. But walking meditation has a place for most people and with a range of variations, there is sure to be one that enriches your life.
Meditation is about allowing yourself to become one with the moment, not just about sitting in silence. When you are meditating, you are not in the past, in the future, or lost in your thoughts; you are front and centre in the moment, allowing your energy to mix with the energy of now.
Walking Meditation requires you become one with the moment but also takes things deeper as you become one with the Earth.
Walking meditation is much more than a gentle stroll in nature. It is done at a much slower, measured pace that coordinates with the breath. Unlike normal seated meditation it’s done with open eyes, often downcast to eliminate distractions, and your body moves the whole time.
Walking Meditation Guidelines
It’s best to choose a location that’s quiet, where you won’t be disturbed by other people or distracted by the noise of life. You can do this in your back garden if you have nowhere else or even if you are hesitant at first.
Before you begin, spend a few minutes standing in stillness and breathing deeply. Notice your feet in connection to the earth. Anchor your awareness in your body as you focus on your breath.
Stand with your feet a hip width apart. Feel the stability of the ground and then become aware of your feet connecting with the solid, stable, earth beneath.
Take a few deep breaths into your belly.
Do a scan of your body and notice any sensations, feelings or thoughts and the part of your body they are associated with.
If you find thoughts intruding during the meditation, gently acknowledge and release them and bring your awareness back to the present moment, your feet and your breath. If mental activity becomes persistent a mantra aligned with your breath may help you maintain focus.
Walk for at least fifteen minutes. Keep your pace slow and steady. Find the pace where you can stay in the present moment with each step. If you are agitated or stressed this might mean beginning at a very slow pace.
If you decide to walk with bare feet place your awareness on the sensations in the soles of your feet and their connection to the earth.
Walking Meditation Styles
Thich Nhat Hanh Walking Meditation
Perhaps the most widely practiced variation of the walking meditation is a simplified version developed by the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh, which includes affirmations.
“When we practice walking meditation, we arrive in each moment. Our true home is in the present moment. When we enter the present moment deeply, our regrets and sorrows disappear, and we discover life with all its wonders. Breathing in, we say to ourselves, I have arrived. Breathing out, we say, I am home. When we do this we overcome dispersion and dwell peacefully in the present moment, which is the only moment for us to be alive.”
~ Thich Nhat Hanh
As with other styles you move slowly with calmness, aware of each movement and maintaining awareness in the present moment.
As you walk you repeat one of these affirmations:
- “I have arrived” on the in breath and “I am home” on the out breath
- “In the here” on in breath, “In the now” on out breath
- “I am solid” on in breath, “I am free” on out breath.
- Or a single word such as “Peace” on in breath, and “Potential” on out breath.
Just as Thich Nhat Hanh advised his followers, “kiss the earth with your feet”.
Mindfulness Walking Meditation
Another simple variation is to adapt the traditional walking meditation with a mindfulness approach, by remaining aware of your surroundings and the perceptions and sensations of the present moment, rather than focusing on your feet.
Pay attention of the experience of walking as you keep your awareness engaged with the whole experience. Be aware of your surroundings as experienced through all of your senses. Notice the sensations in your feet as you also allow your awareness to move through your whole body. Become aware of emotions and thoughts, and the state of your mind, calm, busy, foggy.
Theravada Walking Meditation
A more concentrated form of walking meditation is practiced by the Thai Buddhist monks who walk back and forth along a short, about 10-15 metre long, straight path for many hours at a time, coming to a complete stop at each end before turning. Walking the same pathway removes the mental effort needed to negotiate a changing path. The turn at each end brings a wandering mind back to centre. This form is more suitable for experienced meditators.
Labyrinth Walking Meditation
Walking the Labyrinth is another way to use walking as a meditative, contemplative or spiritual practice, although not exactly a walking meditation. Read more about using a labyrinth for this purpose in Balance and Insight On The Labyrinth Walk
Pain Relief Walking Meditation
The following variation of a walking meditation can help to reduce pain.
This is a meditation you can easily fit into your daily life. This form of meditation is best done outdoors and naturally you have your eyes open. Where possible do this in a quiet place.
- Begin walking at a slow but normal pace.
- Place your focus on your feet and observe your feet touching the ground.
- Place your entire focus on lifting each foot and placing it down again. Move your attention to your ankles. Feel the muscles of your ankles relax
- Be aware of the temperature of your skin and the feeling of your socks or clothing next to your ankle.
- Move your attention to your knees. Feel your knees bend and straighten, feel your clothes touching the skin of your legs.
- Move your attention to your hips, notice each hip movement as you place one leg in front of the other.
- If you experience any pain or discomfort while walking imagine a barometer and mentally imagine the pain level coming right down as you move the barometer needle down.
- As you do this meditation you can continue to move up your body, or you can go back to your ankles and repeat the cycle.
Practice this meditation for half an hour once or twice a day, or you can do mini meditations while walking to your car.
