Walking Meditation

“The mind can go in a thousand directions,
but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace.

With every step, a gentle wind blows.
With every step, a flower blooms.”

~Thich Nhat Hanh

Many people think that meditation can only occur in a sitting position, but we can also meditate while walking. Movement can be calming, especially when we walk slowly and mindfully, aware of our every step and finding enjoyment in every step. We walk leisurely and become aware of the contact of our feet with the ground and of the flow of our breath.  It is possible to walk in freedom and solidity, and to arrive in the present moment in every step. Wherever we walk, we can practice meditation.

Walking in meditation means to walk in such a way that we know we are walking. We walk leisurely, enjoying every step. We become aware of the contact of our feet with the ground, and the flow of our breathing. We set ourselves free from our thinking—our regrets about the past, our fears and anxieties about the future, or our preoccupations in the present. We become 100% present with every step.

We become aware of the contact between our feet and the ground. And we begin harmonizing our steps with our breathing. We may take two or three steps as we breathe in, and then three or four steps as we breathe out. It will depend on your lungs and the natural rhythm of your steps.

As we continue walking, synchronizing our breathing and our steps, we become aware of our whole body walking. We can relax any tension in our shoulders or arms and feel what a miracle it is to be walking on Earth. We can open our ears to the sounds around us, and lift up our eyes to enjoy the trees, or the horizon, or the people around us. Aware of our five senses, we know we have arrived in the present moment. Every step can be nourishing, and every step can be healing.

Walking meditation may be particularly helpful when we are feeling too stressed or anxious to sit still. It can also be very useful to alternate periods of sitting with periods of walking meditation.

Here is a video introduction to walking meditation.