Meditation, Walking and Mindfulness
Walking meditation is a Buddhist practice, it’s a mindfulness technique that can help people feel more grounded, balanced, and serene. It develops a greater awareness of our surroundings and a deepening of our connection with our bodies and the earth.
Imagine that you are walking to a sacred place. Tread quietly and carefully and with each step, feel the earth beneath your feet, feel the ground supporting you; enjoy every sensation – the sun on your face, the breeze on your skin, the colours of the leaves, the sound of the birds. Focus on the ball of each foot as it touches the ground and holds you steady before you take the next step.
Walking meditation is not a pilgrimage – an endurance test – it’s a journey to discover ourselves, each step made in mindfulness takes us closer to finding who we really are.
We cannot be grounded in our body if our mind is somewhere else. Walking meditation unites our body and our mind. By combining our breathing with our steps we can pay attention to our body, calming the body with each breath in and out, bringing peace, calming the body and reducing pain and tension.
Each mindful breath, each mindful step reminds us that we are alive on this incredible planet. It is wonderful to be alive, to breathe in and to make each step. We have arrived at the present moment – where real life really exists. We are viewing the world, not as a thinker, but as an observer, with no judgements, no attachments, and in so doing we access a higher consciousness, we are accessing the present in the moment – which is Zen.
“Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy and serenity.” Thich Nhat Hanh
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