Walking To Serenity: Walking Meditation 101

A few Blogs ago, we covered meditation and all that entails. I try — key word try— to meditate a few times a week out of good practice, but I wanted to spice up my routine and try something new. I decided to look into walking meditation. It is very similar to traditional seated meditation, but now you are going to be moving around — hence 'walking'. Lace up your shoes and get ready as we walk you through the process! (See what I did there. Ha!)  

Benefits of Walking Meditation  

• Walking Meditation is a great way to increase blood circulation, rather than just sitting and being stationary.  

• It can be done anywhere! You can do it while walking into the office or walking around cleaning the house. 

• Mindful walking meditation has been linked to helping balance in 2019 study. If your a little — ok, a lot — clumsy like me then this is a huge benefit!

• If you are someone that can’t sit still enough to do traditional meditation, this is the perfect for you to try.

• Walking Meditation can bring you more insights to your body, and teach you more about how you move through spaces. You'll become more aware of your surroundings and may discover things that have been in front of your nose the whole time.  

3 Easy Steps To A Mindful Walking Meditation 

1. Find a space that is peaceful and safe to walk free about. 

Whether you are indoors or outdoors, this location should be distraction and obstacle free. Sometimes it's easier to find a place indoors rather than outdoors, so don’t be discouraged if you can’t be outside.

2. Take a few deep breaths before you start.  Become mindful of your physical state, how you feel, and what thoughts are running through your head.

Once you are ready, slowly start walking. Instead of focusing on your breathing with typical meditation, focus on walking. By focusing on walking, you are putting meaning behind an almost unconscious act we do consistently throughout the day.  Aim for 10 minutes of walking and take breaks as needed. On your breaks, take a few deep breaths or stretch.

3. While you walk, you want to maintain your mindfulness.

To walk mindfully, take note of the sensations running through your body. Notice the way your body sways and how it affects your muscles or just become aware of how your feet feel as you make contact with the ground. All of these are easy ways to stay mindful while walking.

At any point, if you notice your mind wanders off to a conversation you had yesterday or perhaps your to do list, just acknowledge it, and pull yourself back in. 

After reading this article, you can see how walking meditation can be a huge benefit to you. The benefits of stimulating blood flow, helping with balance, and being more active is more than enough reason for me. 

Walk this way! Walking meditation has been around for centuries and is still a powerful tool to help us find greater insights into ourselves, our bodies, and the spaces we inhabit. The practice can be done anywhere you feel comfortable walking (indoors or outdoors), making it an accessible form of mindfulness that anyone can try with little time commitment. A simple walk through your neighborhood may offer more than you expected! What’s on your mind? Share what new discoveries have come up during your last walk in the comments below.

Keep on Muvin'