Walking Meditation

In the mind of many people, meditation is about sitting for a long enough time. Very few who are aware that every movement of life - from walking, eating, bathing, working, praying - can be transformed into meditation. As long as there is mindfulness, all movement of life, is a kind of meditation.

In the moment of eating for example, focus all energy of consciousness to the meal. Learn not to speak, keep trying to be at one with each taste in the mouth. And at the same time, realize that the nature of everything, is like a pair of wings. After a delicious taste there will come a bad taste. After sadness there will be happiness. This is exactly what we refer to as mindfulness.

The same thing happens when walking. Many friends whose meditation has grown deeply, share their experience that the healing effects of walking meditation, is much deeper than sitting meditation. The logic is simple, if someone can deeply concentrate within the moment of walking, then maintaining concentration in sitting meditation is much easier.

There are three simple but profound approaches to walking meditation. The first approach is the approach of being at one with the moment. While you are sad, learn to be at one with sadness. When you are happy, learn to be at one with happiness. And the most important thing, is being at one with each footstep. It's easier to do this approach when someone believes that all movements of life are the smile of the same perfection. This approach is very suitable to spiritual seekers who have deep longing for the experience of unity. It can be a union with God, it can be a union with the cosmic body.

The second approach of walking meditation, is to learn to be deeply aware that the nature of everything is to appear and disappear. Sadness for example, it appears in one time and disappear at another time. The same thing also happens with happiness, the feeling of being happy appears in one moment, and simply disappear in another moment. It is similar to footsteps. When the right step appears, the left step disappears.

Through the 'appear and disappear' approach, one ceases to cling excessively on the positive feeling like pleasure, and no longer resisting excessively to the negative feeling such as pain. As a result, a seeker begins to plant the seeds of peace and healing within.

In the third approach of walking meditation, a meditator walks much slower than the usual walking pace. There are three important movements; lift, move, place. Lift your right foot, move it forward, place it back on the ground. Lift your left foot, move it forward, put it back on the ground.

Through such a deep approach, spiritual seekers use the footsteps as an "anchor" that binds the mind. It helps to avoid the mind jumping from one memory to another. In this practice of walking meditation, the depth of concentration is much deeper than the concentration during sitting meditation.

Concentration is very important during meditation. Especially because concentration is the womb that gives birth to deep understanding. From deep understanding, then the beautiful flower of love can bloom beautifully within. The beautiful flower is considered as the crown of all spiritual journey.

Author: Gede Prama

Photo Courtesy: Twitter@RosaTrunk

Proof Read by: Kirsty Spence.

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