Walking Meditation: The Art of Mindful Walking

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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 think about: why not use your walking as a time for meditation?. Most people start walking because it’s an excellent form of exercise, injuries are rarely experienced and there is no learning involved. Easy, easy, easy.

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.

What is walking meditation? Walking meditation is when you consciously focus on your every step. No need to increase your speed, in fact, you will more than likely begin by walking at a slower pace so you can get the hang of the practice of meditating while walking.

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.

Many forms of meditation have the individual sitting with eyes shut, focusing their attention away from the outside. With mindful walking, the eyes are open wide, taking in the outside environment. This gives the walker an opportunity to detatch from the head noisy; a very valuable experience, especially for westerners.

Here are some general instructions for walking meditation:

* Walk in an area that you are familiar and comfortable with.

* Attempt to walk for a 20 minute time period. If you find that is too long for you, then you may want to begin with a 5 minute period and work your way up to 20 minutes.

* Begin walking with good and relaxed posture.

* Focus on the sensations in your feet.

* Let your arms relax, down by your side.

* Keep your focus gentle and about 3-6 feet in front of you.

In conclusion, it is very easy to incorporate walking meditation into your regular daily routine. Not only will it improve your physical well-being, but you will also be taking your exercise program to a higher level by improving your mind and spirit.

Just start walking.

Barbara Williamson resides in Birmingham, Alabama and writes on topics about Alternative Health. Go to Alternative Healing to access more valuable information on this topic.

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Article Citation
MLA Style Citation:
Williamson, Barbara "Walking Meditation: The Art of Mindful Walking." Walking Meditation: The Art of Mindful Walking. 28 Dec. 2009. uberarticles.com. 8 Apr 2012 <http://uberarticles.com/self-improvement/meditation/walking-meditation-the-art-of-mindful-walking/>.

APA Style Citation:
Williamson, B (2009, December 28). Walking Meditation: The Art of Mindful Walking. Retrieved April 8, 2012, from http://uberarticles.com/self-improvement/meditation/walking-meditation-the-art-of-mindful-walking/

Chicago Style Citation:
Williamson, Barbara "Walking Meditation: The Art of Mindful Walking" uberarticles.com. http://uberarticles.com/self-improvement/meditation/walking-meditation-the-art-of-mindful-walking/

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