Walking Meditation

 

Walking meditation indoors or outdoors is a very precious practice. Walking meditation means that we know we are walking. We walk just for walking, no longer in a hurry. There are families and communities who walk together every day, and it brings them a lot of peace and joy.

To practice, walk slowly, in a relaxed way, with your head upright and a light smile on your lips. Simply keep in touch with both your breathing and your steps. When you practice indoors, take one step as you breathe in and another as you breathe out. Outdoors, you can walk more quickly, allowing your lungs as much time and air as they need, and simply noticing how many steps you take as your lungs fill up and how many as they empty. The link is the counting, using a word, a phrase, or a gatha. If you see something along the way that you want to touch with your mindfulness - the blue sky, the hills, a tree, or a bird -just stop, but while doing so, continue to breathe mindfully.