By combining a walk with the practice of meditation has the potential to provide a powerful bridge between spiritual practice and daily life. Bringing awareness and relaxation into action can expand your powers of concentration and reconnect you to the simplicity of being, helping you to achieve a calm and balanced state of mind by focusing on the sensations in your feet and legs, feeling your whole body moving. You can also integrate awareness of breathing with the experience.
As you begin your walking meditation, spend a little time centering. Be aware of your body. Take deep, cleansing breaths, inhaling fully into the belly. As you begin walking, focus the attention of each foot as it contacts the ground. When the mind wanders away from the feet or legs, or the awareness of the body walking, refocus your attention. In walking meditation, the pace is slower, and the walker coordinates breathing with each step. One might take three steps with each inhalation and three steps with each exhalation. The purpose is to be in the present moment, aware of your breathing and walking.
To deepen your concentration, don’t look around, but keep your gaze in front of you. Walk with ‘soft vision’ allowing the eyes to relax without focusing on a specific thing, but being aware of everything. Enjoy each step. Notice the beauty of your surroundings, both externally and internally. Be sure to smile. Walk and make steps as if you were the happiest person on Earth. This mental state will bring peace and delight to your steps and help sustain attention.
While it may feel a bit awkward at first, with a little practice you will find your breath, your steps, and your smile blend together into a fluid movement of balance and mindful awareness fully engaged in the present moment.
