Seven years into my meditation journey, I finally decided to try a walking meditation.
“I discovered that one of the most challenging aspects of mindfulness practice was releasing the need for effort. For years, I approached meditation as just another task on my daily agenda — mindfulness…check. This task-driven mindset transformed meditation into a chore that I could potentially execute poorly.”
— Seth J. Gillihan, PhD, Mindful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Simple Path to Healing, Hope, and Peace
Took me quite a while to experiment with a walking meditation, didn’t it?
I have a tendency to think, “I’ll do it how most people suggest is the correct approach! The BEST APPROACH! Because I put in a lot of effort to excel at things!”
Regrettably, I exhibit this behavior in numerous areas of my life, be it writing, brewing kombucha, working with resin, or many other interests. I conduct some research, choose what I believe to be the best at that moment, and stubbornly adhere to it, even when it may not be the best fit for a novice. Even when I ought to be more receptive to different methods.
I’m gradually realizing the need to be less rigid about what appears to be the “best way.” I conduct more research prior to forming opinions. I now allow more space for diverse viewpoints and techniques. It’s a gradual journey of transformation, but I’m progressing.
Walking meditations are something I, in my obstinacy, thought were not as valuable as a tranquil seated meditation. However, I fell into the trap of believing there is only one proper way to approach things.
Meditation is a gradual learning process for many of us.
I spent a solid two to three years trying to meditate before I made significant progress in truly calming my thoughts. This was partly because I was so inexperienced at directing my attention inward. During my initial meditation classes, I’d be seated on a yoga block in a wonderfully quiet studio, striving to calm my racing thoughts.
It was the ideal atmosphere for meditation. I would attend similar classes in future studios and various apartments — seeking out quiet, dimly lit spaces. But ironically, in one of my noisiest apartments, where neighbors blasted dubstep for 14 hours a day, I experienced some of my most profound focus moments. I needed to exert so much effort to ignore the noise that once I finally accomplished it, my concentration was remarkably sharp.
It may seem like the worst environment to meditate in, yet paradoxically, the greater challenge of filtering out external distractions helped me focus more on my bodily sensations.
Upon attempting a walking meditation for the first time, I surprisingly found it easy to concentrate on bodily sensations while in motion.
The guided meditation audio I listened to encouraged participants to notice the sensation of each foot either pressing down or lifting off the ground. It pushed me to pay attention to the muscle activation in each foot, the stretch, and then the relaxation that accompanied every step.
I could quickly tune into these subtle sensations more rapidly than I anticipated. There’s something about the immediacy of movement that allows for a surprisingly easy transition into mindful awareness when we truly concentrate.
Walking meditations challenge us to sharpen our focus amid chaos.
This is where the true beauty of walking meditation becomes evident. Just as I unexpectedly found some of my best meditations in my loudest apartment, I was amazed at how effortlessly I settled into a meditative state. My thoughts quieted more quickly than they had in the preceding weeks.
There are countless viewpoints on meditation, and I believe every endeavor is significant. I’ve been exploring a translation and analysis of the yoga sutras (with a focus on women’s perspectives) by Nischala Joy Devi and learned about the concepts of dharana and dhyana. I will quote Devi’s interpretations since these two terms indicate a subtle but essential distinction in the meditation process.
“Gathering consciousness and concentrating it within is Dharana (contemplation).
The continuous inward flow of consciousness is Dhyana (meditation).”
— Nischala Joy Devi, The Secret Power of Yoga: A Woman’s Guide to the Heart and Spirit of the Yoga Sutras
Essentially, we begin with contemplation, drawing our focus inward, and then we can advance to meditation. Viewing contemplation as a precursor to meditation is a notion that resonated deeply with me.
When embarking on a new practice, having more chances to incorporate it is beneficial.
I’ve been learning a great deal about the fundamental flaws in our hustle-driven culture. However, whether you’ve chosen to slow down or feel compelled to maintain your pace (I understand, I had no financial choice for quite some time), if walking is integrated into your routine, this can be a perfect opportunity to blend meditation into your day.