Austin Meditation

Posts Tagged ‘Walking Meditation’

Sitting meditation can help you practice focus, mindfulness and, if nothing else, good posture. But there are more active forms of meditation that allow you to develop the same level of awareness about yourself and your environment.

Walking meditation requires less withdrawal from the world. You are exposed to the sounds of nature, people, and traffic. However, it may afford you the opportunity to observe more intensely the relationship of your body to its surroundings and the relationship of the parts of your body to each other. Better yet, you can practice this active form of meditation anywhere because it does not require seclusion and silence. You can meditate as you walk into work, walk the dog, or take a walk on the beach. Before you have a lot of practice though, its better to stay in open outdoor spaces, like parks, where you can walk uninterrupted for long distances.

Begin by standing. Draw your attention to your posture and the balance of your weight. Lift yourself from the earth, pressing your feet into the ground. Notice how your weight is distributed and how this distribution is constantly in flux.

When you begin to walk, walk normally. Get yourself into the rhythm of walking at a fairly slow pace. Keep your attention on the soles of your feet, as you did while you were standing. Your foot goes through many adjustments and motions as it walks. It meets the earth at a certain angle. Your toes touch. Relax all of your joints as you move your attention up the leg. As you become aware of how your calf muscles are working, relax them and focus on the sensation of movement. Your knees, pelvis, belly, shoulders, and neck are all taking part in complex movements as they work. Pay attention to each of these in turn; notice how relaxing them changes the way you walk.

When you come to a stop, do it naturally. The sensation of stopping is its own phenomenon that deserves to be observed. Practice standing again. As your meditation ends, you should feel uplifted and focused.