Walking Meditation: The Art of Mindful Walking
Everyone knows the value of walking. It helps your heart, your circulation and your tummy (a great calorie burner)
But here is something else for you to think about: why not use your walking as a time for meditation?. Most people start walking because it’s an excellent form of exercise, injuries are rarely experienced and there is no learning involved. Easy, easy, easy.
You don’t need any special equipment. Just start walking and you are instantly on your way to better health. When you add meditation to your walking, you will find the experience invaluable.
What is walking meditation? Walking meditation is when you consciously focus on your every step. No need to increase your speed, in fact, you will more than likely begin by walking at a slower pace so you can get the hang of the practice of meditating while walking.
When you focus on your walking, pay attention to how it feels as you raise your foot then place it back down on the ground, one step at a time. Walking meditation has its roots in Buddhism, in particular the art of Ayatana. In Christianity, the practice of labyrinth walking is considered to be a form of walking meditation.
Using walking as meditation helps you stay focused on the here and now. As you become more skilled at this practice, you will find yourself better able to let go of your worries and stress.
Many forms of meditation have the individual sitting with eyes shut, focusing their attention away from the outside. With mindful walking, the eyes are open wide, taking in the outside environment. This gives the walker an opportunity to detatch from the head noisy; a very valuable experience, especially for westerners.
Here are some basic tips for walking meditation:
* Walk in an area that you are familiar and comfortable with.
* Your goal is to walk for a 20 minute time period (or more if you wish). In the beginning, if that is too long for you, then you may want to begin with a 5 minute period and gradually work your way up to a 20 minute time period.
* Begin walking with good and relaxed posture.
* Focus on the sensations in your feet.
* Let your arms hang down in a relaxed manner.
* As you walk, keep your focus about 3 to 6 feet in front of you.
In conclusion, walking meditation is a practice that is easy to add into your daily exercise. Along with taking care of your body’s well-being, you will also be enhancing the well-being of your mind and spirit.
Just start walking.
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May 18 2008 04:56 am | Meditation