Originally posted in April, 2017
Meditation of any kind is extremely beneficial to the people who practice it. It calms your mind, relieves stress, and allows you to bring yourself to a better state of consciousness. However, when most people think of meditation they think of a form of sitting meditation, but there are actually many, many different kinds of meditation. There are eating meditations, heart meditations, sitting meditations, and others. One of the best forms of meditation for the person always on the move is a meditation called “Walking Meditation.” Using a walking meditation for everyday mindfulness is an excellent way to feel better, and to get your meditation worked into your busy schedule.
What Is a Walking Meditation?
Walking meditation is a meditation where you walk while you meditate. A key difference between this type of meditation and many other forms of meditation is that your eyes are open during it. Your eyes remain open so that you may see where you are going and not get hurt, but also so you can be fully engaged with your surroundings.
There are several different variations of the walking meditation, but the one I’d like to mention for this post is the mindfulness walking meditation.
Mindfulness Walking Meditation
A mindfulness walking meditation is just one variation, and it is a fairly modern one, too. It is, however, very easy to implement into your schedule. You can squeeze in a walking meditation any time you are walking somewhere. If you have a long walk to your car in the parking lot, or you have to walk clear across your place of work, using a walking meditation is simple and effective.
There are a few important things to keep in mind when you do your walking meditation. The first thing is to keep it slow. The slower the better. If you are rushing and walking quickly you won’t be able to focus on your thoughts or the world around you, and these things are key.
When you walk, take it slow and breathe deeply. Concentrate your thoughts on the way your feet feel as you walk. Concentrate on your surroundings. Is it loud? Quiet? If you’re outside: is there wind? What do you hear? How does it feel? If you find your mind drifting to thoughts about your day or personal life, re-focus them by concentrating on your individual steps, your breathing, and the ground that you are walking on.
By doing this you will increase your mindfulness of the world around you, and of your own body and soul. The best thing about this kind of meditation is that even a one minute meditation on your way to your car is beneficial. Just one minute of mindfulness can help relax you and decrease your stress. Of course, you can practice a walking meditation as long as you like. You may find that when you get home you want to practice it for fifteen or twenty minutes!
So the next time you’re walking somewhere, consider practicing a little walking meditation to ease your mind and increase your mindfulness.
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