Practising Walking Meditation – a Guide to Beginners

Sharon Moore November 07, 2013

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Many studies have shown that walking does have plenty of benefits. Although it is an ability that we often take for granted, many experts consider it as an effective form of exercise that can help us lose weight, uplift our mood, and change our perspective especially during stressful situations. That’s why you would often hear an old advice – if you’re angry and you’re about to burst out, just leave and take a walk.

Now, would it be nice if we can combine the health benefits of walking with that of meditation? Numerous studies have shown that meditation has the ability to reshape the brain to have higher self-control and better emotion regulation. Not only will we be hitting ‘two birds’ in one stone, we are also going to experience immediate relief from emotional outbreak and at the same time, gain long-term benefits to our health and well-being.

How to Practice Walking Meditation

Walking meditation is easier than you think. You don’t need to change the way you walk, you only need to become AWARE of it. If you want to try this form of meditation, here’s what you should do:

You want to prepare by standing up, noticing your body weight being transferred to the soles of your feet. Very often, we ignore our special ability to stand upright. But actually, it took us a couple of years to learn how to do this. Shift your focus to the adjustments your body has to make to stay in balance. In this type of meditation, give yourself 10-20 minutes or longer to take a walk. Look for outdoor spaces that have less noise and other distractions, and where you can walk freely and with ease. If for any reason you can’t go out, you can always use a treadmill.

Begin to walk at a fairly slow but normal walking pace. Once your body has adjusted, you can walk at a moderate pace to increase your heart rate slightly. You don’t have to walk slowly to make it a meditation. Walk at a pace that’s more comfortable for you. The most important thing is that you are aware – aware of the sensations you are experiencing – the pounding of your heart, the pressure on your soles, the temperature of your skin, and so on.

As you walk through, shift your attention to five different points of focus. The first is the feeling of walking in your body – the sensation of your feet touching the ground, your weight shifting, your legs moving and your arms swinging. Next, focus on your breathing. Notice how it feels to breathe in and breathe out. Notice any smells as you inhale. Keep your lungs open so you can breathe properly. Then, shift your attention to the feeling of your body in contact with the world. Notice the sensations in your face, skin, hands, and all parts of your body. Does it feel warm? Cold? Is there any tension? Pain? Comfort? Also, be aware of what you hear. Take it all in – the lovely sounds of the birds singing, the wind blowing, and the trees swaying, even the not-so-lovely sounds like the traffic, people shouting, etc. Lastly, be aware of what you see – the things around you. The buildings, houses, and people you pass by. Spend 30 seconds to one minute on each point of focus.

Once done, shift your focus to an open awareness for about one to five minutes. In this state, you are no longer focusing on one state at a time, but on anything you see, feel, smell or experience at the present moment. If your mind wanders away from the direct moment to other thoughts like planning, fantasising or worrying, go back to your state of awareness. Enjoy the sensations you feel at the very moment. Most of us rarely have the time to do this.

The whole cycle would take 5 to 10 minutes. You can repeat it for several times, starting from the focus-shifting to open awareness. Then, in a few seconds, allow yourself to stop walking. Again, notice the weight on your feet as you stand up, experiencing yourself. Take one or two more deep breaths to end your meditation session.

Do it as often as possible (in the morning as you head to work, or on your way home) and be surprised to experience the incredible benefits of walking meditation on your mind and body.