Walking as Meditation
Posted on May 18, 2008
Filed Under Self Help |
It is common knowledge that walking is great for you. It’s good for your heart, good for your waistline, and it is good for your circulation
But here is something else for you to consider: why not use your walking exercise as a time for meditation?. Most people take up walking because it’s a great form of exercise, it is easy on the joints and it isn’t complicated to learn.
There’s no special equipment required. You just start walking and you are immediately on the path to excellent health. If you combine this with meditation, or mindful walking, you will find the benefits immeasurable.
So what is mindful walking or walking meditation? Walking meditation is when you consciously pay attention to your every step. With mindful walking, there is no need to increase your pace, in fact, you might begin by walking at a slower pace so you can get the hang of walking meditation.
When you focus on your walking, pay attention to how it feels as you raise your foot then place it back down on the ground, one step at a time. Walking meditation has its roots in Buddhism, in particular the art of Ayatana. In Christianity, the practice of labyrinth walking is considered to be a form of walking meditation.
Utilizing mindful walking helps you focus on the present. As you become more skilled at concentrating your focus on your footsteps and not on the troubles of your day, you will find your stress melting away.
The most familiar forms of meditation have you sitting with eyes shut, concentrating on mental clarity. With mindful walking, your eyes are wide open, taking in the outside world. This gives the walker the opportunity to get outside of the head and all its chatter; a very valuable experience, especially for westerners.
Here are some basic tips for walking meditation:
* Walk in an area that you are familiar and comfortable with.
* Shoot for a 20 minute time period. If that is too long for you, start with a 5 minute period and gradually increase your time to 20 minutes.
* Begin walking with good and relaxed posture.
* Concentrate on how your feet feel.
* Relax your arms.
* As you walk, keep your focus about 3 to 6 feet in front of you.
In conclusion, mindful walking is a practice that is easy to implement into your daily exercise regiment. Not only will you be helping your body out, but you will be taking your exercise program up a notch by improving your mind and spirit.
Just start walking.
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