What is a walking meditation?
In essence, a walking meditation is a meditation in which you are moving versus sitting down. Yes, I digress, but Lotus is not in the position to tell you to sit this one out. Anyways, it requires you to be more focused on the solace within rather than the distractions around. Accordingly, it is for this reason alone that the fewer distractions the better. Statistically speaking, it is less probable to close your eyes during this type of meditation. However, walking meditation is just as effective with the right combination of time, distance, and breath work. So, what is a walking meditation and why is it beneficial?
Walk the Talk
Well, first and foremost, a walking meditation is basically just “meditation in motion” as Mindworks highlights. Because of this, it is perfectly complementary to the sitting form of meditation. Above all, walking meditation is an effective form of mindfulness meditation that doesn’t require any special arrangement. As a matter of fact, it is quite easy to integrate this into your schedule because walking is an everyday part of life. Moreover, this appeals to and benefits beginners and advanced practitioners alike, not to mention how walking increases blood circulation in body and thus decreases malaise.
That said, it is in your best interest to focus on your body rather than your breaths. This is especially helpful when you are first starting out. Of course, this is because it is vital to establish a simple, yet effective rhythm that works. So, focus on being present in the moment. Pay attention to how your body is feeling. More specifically, how are your fingers and toes feeling? What sensation cramps upon your legs and knees? How does your spine and neck feel?
These are just a few parts of your body that need attention. Set the intention to just observe what sensations you vibe with most. As with all forms of meditation, there is no need to judge the experience. Just know that you are literally a walking progress. After all, you must know how your skin feels before you can breathe in it and thereby walk the talk.
Benefits of a Walking Meditation
Accordingly, you can experience double the benefits by merging your walk with when your typically exercise. Also, meditating and walking are exponentialized when complimentary to one another. Plus, being out in nature is very good for releasing endorphins, or feel good chemicals. This in turn creates neurotransmitters that reduce stress, anxiety, and poor health outcomes. However, it is counterproductive to walk too fast of breathe too hard. The name of the game is finding what works best for you. To reiterate, most people are habitually walkers. So, a walking meditation makes it easier to access theta state and have a lasting, profound effect on the subconscious.
It also helps the meditator to fight against lethargy. Because of this, walking meditation is a nice, worthy alternative to a sitting meditation, the latter of which makes you more susceptible to mind wandering.
Speaking of which, walking allows you to focus on every step and breath, yet let your mind run loose without fail. As you can see, a walking meditation is highly therapeutic and massively healing. As such, it is recommended to alternate between walking and sitting meditation to have fewer encounters of tiredness and this boost neural and somatic activity. Why not embrace the best of both worlds?
Furthermore, if you ever feel depleted of energy, this will definitely boost your mood and put you in an optimal state. Speaking of which, who isn’t the happiest when enjoying nature, walking in the heart of meditation, and letting loose?
Walking Meditation 101
Thus, it is important to plan for the unplanned. If you need to get acquainted with the outdoors, give yourself indoor drills. Practice and train yourself to have the best, most optimal experiences. I can almost guarantee you that greater quantity will equate to better quality. In other words, the more you walk, the less you will judge how you walk. Instead, you will be mindful of how you are walking and what your posture entails even after your session ends. Indeed, a walking meditation is a lifestyle! Again, what better way to stay grounded, humble, present, and gleefully down to earth?
As such, make sure you know where you want to have your walking meditation? The lake? The park? At the local beach? Whatever makes you feel the best, I would go with it. After all, walking is about the most intuitive of all rote activities. Except, the catch is that mindful walking is all but a rote chore. Thus, the goal is to enjoy the process and savor the moment. Allow yourself to walk into an eternal forest of healing, joy, Thanksgiving, peace, enlightenment, flow, and deeper, more nuanced and enhanced perspective/understanding.
Become one with nature
Feel the rhythm of your heart. Have a duet with every breath. Allow your environment to instrumentalize your focus into something even greater than a walk can readily ensure. Essentially, walk with the intent to find what will serve you the best and most positively. Quite simply observe how walking makes you feel. Let the e-motions run through you. In like manner, make sure that all of you are on the same page. Otherwise, you might distract yourself. Again, make sure that you are in an environment that helps you to walk and meditate safely and effectively.
For instance, walk slow and breathe deep to enrich and compound the rather beneficial experience. Allow yourself to be fully present. If too much stress is placed on what is a walking meditation, it will fuel more extraneous stress. Whatever improves your health and wellbeing, do more of it. Matter of factly, be less. Be less focused on the right walking meditation and instead embrace the process. Even when you finish your session, that is not your final destination. You are not done walking. Quite the contrary, you are moving to another chapter on your novel journey.
Walking Meditation Expert Tips & Advice
As a result, with time, experience, and repetition, you will be able to walk and meditate longer. And while it is recommended to do a walking meditation for at least ten minutes, you will be well over fifteen minutes. All you’ve got to do is walk by faith.
Meditate in the knowing that your space is your day. What you make of your day is your say. After all, baby steps are what enable you to celebrate how far you’ve come up until this [present] moment.
Moreover, you can expect a reduction of blood pressure, a lower heart rate, and an increase in melatonion (Master Class), not to mention how meditation decreases stress, anxiety, and depression, characteristics that define insomnia. As a result, meditation improves sleep quality and makes you more aware of your surroundings and enhances your mind-body connection. Why not take 10-15 steps in a line and observe yourself walk the talk and vice versa? Isn’t focus a walking progress? Isn’t meditation, walking and otherwise, everything but a sprint; a marathon?!
What is a walking meditation when meditation is mobile in more ways than one can sit?
Why not walk in the knowing that your weather is the same regardless of what your inward focus/activity reveals?
Why not walk it out and get in the most productive, optimal, healthy HeadSpace thereof?