Walking meditation is essentially a type of meditation “in action”, implying that you’re not sitting or lying still while doing it. You are using the activity of walking as your point of focus.
Among the main points which seperate walking meditation from sitting down is that you will have your eyes open while doing this. In Zen walking meditation, the eyes may be half closed, however you’re still able to see where you are going.
As you learn walking meditation, you will still need to pay attention to a few of the meditation basics, such as your breathing and what you are focusing on.
Where you walk can also be exceptionally important, simply due to the fact that you want to feel comfortable and permit yourself to relax. Getting rid of all of the stress from your body is the key to being successful with this type of meditation.
Due to the fact that one of your main objectives will be to unwind yourself physically and mentally, it can sometimes be challenging to still know what is going on around you. This is why walking meditation needs a lot of focus and persistence to master it.
Many people who have been doing it for years still don’t consider themselves “masters” of walking meditation, however the more you do it the better you will get at it. Be patient with it.
This type of meditation is all about tapping in to your physical body and being aware of each movement you make throughout your meditation session.
If you’ve done sitting meditation in the past, then you will need to pick up some new abilities for walking meditation.
Taking a seat allows you to shut out the physical world, since you do not need to see what is around you but when you are doing meditation while walking, you will require to bring your consciousness up to an entire new level. This will need much practice, concentration, and focus.
One of the best things about walking meditation is that you can use every day scenarios in your life for practice, such as strolling to your car. The mind gets more active once we leave the meditation cushion so, it is a challenge.
In Zen meditation there is a section after the sitting meditation where there is often a five minute slow walk in a circle. You continue to practice meditation but you are doing this as a group in a circle. It helps to get practicing carrying the inner calmness into your life.
As a side advantage you also get to stretch your legs and back after practising sitting meditation for a while.
Another school where there is walking meditation is Breathwalk. In this form of meditation you use a mantra and special hand positions to keep your focus inside.
As mentioned earlier, you can do walking meditation in lots of contexts. Even doing cardio exercise can be an excellent opportunity for you to do walking meditation. Whether you are on a treadmill or merely walking the streets of your neighbourhood, it’s always an opportunity for you to improve at doing it.
Among the goals of walking meditation is to enable yourself to unwind completely and become at one with your mind and body. It can be highly beneficial for those who feel that they are constantly stressed and in need of something to help them out.
Personally, I love this type of meditation, if you haven’t given walking meditation a go, get yourself out up off the floor (or chair), get out of the house, get back into nature, take in some fresh air and walk yourself calm.
