Walking meditation can increase our awareness of both our inner feelings and our outside environment. It helps us notice things we often miss when we rush through life on autopilot. Focusing more on the act of walking can increase our gratitude and satisfaction with our bodies.
Walking meditation, like mindfulness, helps us become more aware of our mental and physical states. This awareness gives us better control over our feelings and actions. It allows us to respond more positively when we face negative thoughts or emotions.
Instructions:
Walking meditation
Walk 10-15 steps along the lane you’ve chosen, and then pause and breathe for as long as you like. When you are ready, turn around and walk back to the other end of the lane. There, you can pause and breathe again. Then, when you’re ready, turn once more and continue with the walk.
Walking meditation implicates very deliberating thought about and performing a series of activities that you generally do automatically. Breaking these phases down in your mind may feel uneasy, even ridiculous.
How does it work?
Walking meditation
Most of our time is wasted rushing from one place to another. We are so focused on our next task that we don’t notice what we are doing right now. We wager not experiencing our existence as we exist it. Disciplining mindfulness can help.
Mindfulness helps us focus on what we are thinking and feeling right now. It is the skill to pay closer attention to our thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations.
Research indicates that it can not only lessen stress but also increase our experience of positive attitudes. Some experts suggest mixing walking meditation with other types of meditation. This can help keep your practice interesting and find what works best for you.
Tips:
Walking meditation
But you should try to notice at least these four basic elements of each step:
a) the lifting of one foot;
b) the moving of the foot a bit forward of where you’re standing;
c) the placing of the foot on the floor, heel first;
The weight of the body shifts to the front leg as the back heel lifts. The toes of that foot stay on the floor or ground.
Then the cycle proceeds, as you:
a) lift your back foot totally off the ground;
b) observe the back foot as it swings forward and lowers;
c) observe the back foot as it makes contact with the ground, heel first;
d) feel the weight shift onto that foot as the body moves forward.
Additionally
Walking meditation
As you walk, focus on one or more sensations you usually ignore. For example, notice your breath coming in and out. The movement of your feet and legs, or their contact with the ground or floor, counts as well. For many people, slow, formal walking meditation is an acquired taste. But the more you process it, even for short periods, the more it is likely to grow on you.
Keep in mind that you can bring mindfulness to walking at any speed in your daily life. You can also practice it while running, but your pace will change. You can try to bring awareness to everyday activities. This helps you feel present in each moment as your life unfolds.
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Note: This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. Always consult a healthcare professional before taking any supplement or making any changes to your diet or lifestyle.
