The easiest form of walking meditation to begin with is a simple mindfulness meditation. When you first begin your practice, it helps to set aside some dedicated time and space.
In some instances, this style of meditation doesn't require you to walk in a certain way or at a certain pace—just to pay attention to how your body feels as you move through the world. Some people choose specific "walking paths" to move along during their meditation, but you can also do this meditation anytime, anywhere by simply bringing your attention to the sensation of walking.
- Pick a path—a field at a park, a section of your yard/garden or just an open space next to your kitchen table—to walk along. The path should be long enough for you to walk at least 10 to 15 steps before turning around.
- Bring your awareness to your body: Stand with your feet planted firmly on the ground and let your body rest comfortably. Feel the pressure of the earth beneath your feet and the sensations throughout your body. (You can close your eyes for part of this step, if it's helpful.)
- Begin walking along your "path." if you're feeling nervous, you should just start walking normally, to relax your body, without thinking about it as meditation. Once you get going, think about holding your body with ease and confidence.
- Once you relax, you can start walking a little more slowly than you normally walk, as a way to help focus your mind on your movement. If you like, you can really slow down and notice all the different elements of each step, taking note of the feelings of the movement (and the uplift in the spine, the balance in the body) as well as the sensations of the world around you (the sun, the breeze).
- With each step, feel the sensation of lifting your foot off the ground, moving it forward, putting it back down and shifting your weight. Continue walking easily, being mindful of how your body feels as you lift and place your feet. As you're walking, if you're indoors and safe, you could choose to be hyper-focused on the feeling of the walking. But in most places, you should maintain awareness and notice the world around you so that you stay safe.
- When your attention wanders , gently bring your mind back to your feet and your body. This action of noticing when your mind wanders—whether it's every few seconds or every minute or two—and bringing your attention back to your purpose is one of the core experiences of any mindfulness practice.
- When you reach the end of your path, pause, take a few breaths, gather your attention in your body, then turn around. Continue walking around or along your path for 10 to 20 minutes (or longer, if you like). Adjust your speed to whatever pace feels comfortable for your body. As you get used to meditation, your mind might wander less, but no matter how often your mind wanders—or how long it has wandered for—you should never feel bad about it. Instead, simply note where your mind wandered to and bring your attention back to walking.
- Once you're comfortable with walking meditation, you can continue a formal practice, walking along a set path for a set amount of time each day. You can also begin employing this skill when you need to feel centered, no matter where you're walking—on the way to the train, on a walk through your neighborhood or as you're doing errands.
- While practicing, remember that you don't have to focus all of your attention on walking to the exclusion of everything else.