Informative

Walking Meditation

Have you ever walked, from one place to another, without even realizing you have walked there? Have you been so preoccupied with the past or future, that you have lost track of where you wanted to reach? Is meditation too difficult, or too dull perhaps, to sit idle in one place, without doing anything? Then this ancient mindful walking technique is just what you need.  

After the rise of Buddha in India, his disciples started combing the subcontinent to spread his word to the commoners. They used to tell the importance of nonviolence and meditation while sheltering in tiny villages at night, teaching the villagers and used to travel further during the daytime. In this busy schedule, they hardly got time for themselves, for eating, reading, or even for meditation – the exact thing they were promoting. The solution? They started meditating while walking. This is where the walking meditation developed and flourished, helping monks to carry Buddhism from the slopes of Hindukush mountains in Afghanistan to the southern shores of Sri Lanka and from the harsh deserts of Rajasthan to barrens of Mongolia.  

Walking meditation. Almost everyone can walk. But not everyone meditates. Walking meditation is a familiar term but a little bit strange and hard to digest, which deserves our attention. In early Buddhist texts, we can find the details about meditating while walking. It was not about wandering around randomly but rather focusing on the physical action of walking. Like concentrating on a Mantra while practicing Mantra meditation or focusing on breathing, we practice deep breathing meditation, which we are familiar with.

The Concept and Misconception:

When we meditate, we focus on the process, instead of the reason behind it. Just like while breath work, we do not concentrate on the reason behind the process of breathing – that is to stay alive. Instead, we concentrate on the movement of breath. Similarly, walking meditation focuses on each step in the walk.  The purpose and focus of the walking meditation should be not to reach somewhere or to have an experience of traveling to different parts of the earth but to focus on the process of walking itself.

Here, one might focus on every step of the foot or on toe and heel cycle, or the sensation in our entire body when we lift our leg, put it down, and so on

When we walk, paying attention to walking, it’s mindful, just like sitting or standing, or doing the dishes, while focusing on the body’s feelings, sensations, and actions.  

Process:
You can do it in your hall, apartment, while walking on a footpath, or even on the trail. Where you choose to practice, this meditation is totally up to you. It’s recommended that beginners practice it near a familiar area where they won’t be easily distracted by traffic, other walkers, or anything else. You can dress in comfortable clothes, not too loose or not too tight, with comfortable shoes or even just bare feet. Let’s start.

1. Stand in a natural position, with a straight back and shoulders, keeping the head straight. Take a few deep breaths, and feel the sensation as the breath enters and leaves your body.

 2. While focusing ahead, walk, concentrating on the fact that you are walking. 

 3. Try to feel the sensation you are experiencing, in your feet, back, and rest of the whole body, along with the breath coming and going out of your lungs. Maintain a good posture and a distance between two steps. Left, right, left-right.

 4. As you reach the end of the walking path, it’s time to pause and turn around. Stop. Be aware of the fact that you are stopping. Does it feel different than walking? Examine that. 

 5. Turn around. While turning around, avoid doing it in a quick 180-degree spin. Instead, try to turn in two steps, 90 degrees each time. This added step will give you enough time to acknowledge the movement and sensations.

 6. Again, we are in a standing pose. Again, inhale, pause and exhale, continuing your walk. With each step, focus your attention on each foot as it rises and lands on the ground, paying attention to every step, acknowledging it. Rise and step. Rise and step. Notice the feeling of your weight on each foot as it steps on to the ground.

When you find yourself being distracted by a thought or by something that’s in front of you, pause. Acknowledge what is distracting you without interacting with it. Then, bring your awareness towards the rise and fall of your feet with each step, and continue again.

Do remember, there is no right or wrong method of walking with mindfulness. It’s about seizing the opportunity to be present, open, and re-establish the connection with the self.  

The Benefits of Walking Meditation:

-Apart from stress relievers, it takes you closer to nature.

-Smiling while walking is a bonus. It helps you forget all the concerns and worries while reducing your anxiety.

-It pumps blood to your heart, regulating blood pressure, heart rate, and hormonal levels, making you a healthier individual with improved focus.

-Walking early in the morning with an empty stomach improves your digestion and sleeping pattern by regulating Rapid Eye Movement and non Rapid Eye Movement cycles when you make this a regular habit.

Although people prefer to practice walking meditation while being in nature or the park, you can practice it anywhere as you get used to it. For instance, when you walk to a nearby restaurant or office, or the water dispenser after filling your water bottle. Anytime, anywhere. There lies the real beauty of the walking meditation.

If you do not have any health challenges, then give walking meditation a try. Tell your stress to ‘Take a hike, Mike.’ Whatever you are going through, walk it off and embrace positivity, with the most ancient activity known to humanity – Walking.

We request you to take a walk through our website. For any queries and questions, please write to us at info@ChamundaSwamiJi.com. You can also connect us via our Facebook and Instagram pages. Be a part of this blissful spiritual journey.