Walking Meditation Practice
This week’s podcast episode is a guided Walking Meditation practice. The meditation itself starts just after the 5-minute mark, after a brief introduction to the practice.
Episode Details:
Walking Meditation is a traditional form of mindfulness practice, and it’s a great example of meditation-in-motion! If the stillness of sitting meditation doesn’t appeal to you, this might be another avenue for exploring mindfulness.
This practice is often used as a type of formal meditation, but one of the special benefits of Walking Meditation is that it trains us to be aware during an ordinary, daily activity.
I find that when I practice Walking Meditation more often, it seeps into other moments. I might be walking somewhere, and instead of staying lost in thought, I start feeling my feet or my breath, hearing sounds, or seeing what’s around me. Those brief, spontaneous opportunities to touch into the present moment are incredibly valuable – it helps me find my composure, to feel less pulled in a million directions, or to savor a sweet moment more vividly.
I also wanted to record some basic instructions for Walking Meditation because you don’t really get full as-you-go guidance for this practice at in-person meditation groups and on meditation retreats. For obvious practical reasons, the teacher has to give you all the instructions upfront, then send you off to do the walking on your own. So, having a recording might be helpful to practice along with at home, especially if you are newer to this kind of meditation!
Walking Meditation Practice Details:
All you need for this practice is some space to walk several steps in a straight line and turn around. We will be walking back and forth along that path. I recorded this practice indoors, simply walking across my yoga mat (and maybe a foot beyond). You can also take this practice outside if you have a safe, peaceful place to walk.
With some repetition, your Walking Meditation can become a portable mindfulness tool that supports you throughout the day! Walking to the kitchen, walking to your car, walking to a meeting (even at normal walking speed) – you can ground yourself in the present moment while you’re involved in the movements of your life.
Resources and Links from this episode:
If you’re interested in more background on Walking Meditation practice, check out these previous podcast episodes:Â Episode 15: Walking Meditation as Moving Mindfulness and Episode 30: Labyrinth Walking Meditation with Peggy Burt.
For more inspiration, this article from Lion’s Roar magazine features Thich Nhat Hanh’s beautiful teachings on Walking Meditation. This piece is filled with wonderful quotes like this: “We can train ourselves to walk with reverence. Wherever we walk, whether it’s the railway station or the supermarket, we are walking on the earth and so we are in a holy sanctuary. If we remember to walk like that, we can be nourished and find solidity with each step.”
There are also some Walking Meditation practices in my Moved To Meditate Class Library (including videos). Learn more about the Class Library and sign up for your Free Library Card to access the five featured classes from the catalog each month.
