Monday Meditations Part 4: Walking Meditation
May 18, 2009 by dr. lam
Many of us Type A/high-strung individuals cannot meditate sitting still. Our bodies become agitated and our minds begin to wander easily. We need movement and stimulation to keep us centered. This exercise allows our bodies to flow so that our mind can remain centered. We permit our mind to focus on the activity of walking so that we have a grounding and a focus for our thoughts.
Start with either bare feet or stockinged/socked feet so that you can feel the ground under you. Plan a path where you will be walking either in nature or indoors. Even if the path is relatively short, you can traverse this distance and redouble on your tracks without a problem. Just plan your path out in advance so that you don’t need to worry about where you will be going.
As you begin the exercise, remember to start with the fundamental of your breath. Focus on the rhythm of your breathing and allowing yourself to breathe more quickly or more slowly depending on your body’s needs. As you breathe, enjoy the rich breath that is giving you nourishment and life. Then start to focus on your legs and toes as you walk over the terrain and enjoy the feeling of the ground under your feet and the related sensations. As you walk, enjoy the feeling of walking. If your mind wanders, bring it back to the focus of walking and the feeling of the air against your face if you are outside and the sounds around you or if you are inside just stay centered on your breathing and walking. As you conclude the exercise, return your thoughts back to your breathing and finish with your breath meditation.
Here is a video guide to help you with this meditation. Namaste.
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5 Responses to “Monday Meditations Part 4: Walking Meditation”
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Thank you for that. I needed it.
thanks rosson. also, a BIG BIG thank you for helping me grow my peace and love group on FB. for all of those interested, here’s a link: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=79588834453&ref=mf
btw, i know this one is a hard one to follow when the video is locked in the computer. i have asked my webmaster to convert all my meditation series into my podcasts so that you can one click put it on your iPod and make it easier to walk around with it when i am talking to you. will let you know when that process is complete.
I guess I’m that Type A…lol Didn’t know they had a category for that. Dr. Lam, you really amaze me how you can be so calm while you meditate!!
Great!! Welcome, Rosson!!
Dr. Lam, you sure have everything thought out to be efficient! That is a really good idea to put your meditation videos on ipods! Great!
Dr. Lam, I just peeked at your facebook and those numbers are still growing!!! That is awesome!
thanks heather! i welcome rosson and anyone else who wants to make fun comments here!