A Staggering Seven Years Into My Meditation Journey, I Finally Experienced a Walking Meditation
I discovered that one of the most challenging aspects of mindfulness practice was relinquishing effort. For years, I considered meditation just another task on my daily agenda — mindfulness…checked. This task-driven mindset transformed meditation into a burdensome duty that I could do incorrectly. — Seth J. Gillihan, PhD, Mindful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Simple Path to Healing, Hope, and Peace
Took me quite a while to attempt a walking meditation, didn’t it?
I have a tendency to think, “I’ll do it the way most people say is the correct method! THE BEST METHOD! Because I strive hard to excel at things!”
Regrettably, I apply this approach to many areas of life, whether it’s writing, brewing kombucha, working with resin, or numerous other activities. I conduct some research, choose what I believe at the moment to be the optimal choice, and stubbornly adhere to it, even if it may not be the best option for a novice. Even if I ought to remain open to other methods.
I’m gradually learning to be less rigid about what appears to be the “best way.” I undertake more research before forming opinions. I’m more receptive to other viewpoints and methods now. It’s a gradual transformation, but I’m making progress.
And walking meditations are something that I, in my stubbornness, deemed inferior to a silent seated meditation. Yet, I was falling into the misconception that there’s only one correct way to approach things.
Meditation is a gradual practice for many of us to grasp.
It required me a solid two to three years of trying to meditate before I made significant progress in truly quieting my thoughts. This was partly due to my lack of training in directing my attention inward. In my initial meditation classes, I’d sit on a yoga block in a beautifully serene studio, striving to calm my thoughts.
It was an ideal scenario for meditation. I would participate in classes in similar setups in future studios and my various residences — seeking quiet, dim spaces. Strangely enough, it was actually in one of my noisiest apartments, where I had neighbors blasting dubstep for 14 hours a day, that I experienced some of my deepest focus. I had to exert considerable effort to block out the noise, and once I finally managed to do so, I found myself quite focused.
It may seem like the worst environment to meditate in, but paradoxically, the greater challenge of tuning out distractions around me actually assisted me in paying greater attention to the sensations in my body.
I attempted a walking meditation for the first time and found it unexpectedly easy to concentrate on bodily sensations while in motion.
The guided meditation track I engaged with encouraged the listener to focus on the sensation of each foot either grounded or moving towards the earth. It prompted me to notice the muscle engagement in each foot, the stretch, followed by the relaxation that accompanied every step.
I was able to attune to these subtle sensations much faster than I anticipated. There’s something about the immediacy of movement that allows mindfulness of it to flow surprisingly easily when we truly focus and pay attention.
Walking meditations compel us to sharpen our focus amidst chaos in our surroundings.
This is where the true beauty of walking meditation becomes evident. Just as I paradoxically experienced some of my finest meditations in my noisiest apartment, I was astonished at how effortlessly I transitioned into a meditative state. My thoughts quieted more quickly than they had over the previous weeks.
There are numerous perspectives on meditation, and I believe every effort is meaningful. I’ve been delving into a translation and exploration of the yoga sutras (highlighting a women’s perspective) by Nischala Joy Devi and learned about the terms dharana and dhyana. I’m going to quote Devi’s definitions because these two terms illustrate a nuanced yet crucial difference in the meditation process.
“Gathering consciousness and focusing 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 commence with contemplation, drawing our attention inward, and then we can progress to the next phase of meditation. Viewing contemplation as a stepping stone prior to meditation resonated with me profoundly.
When embarking on a new practice, having more opportunities to incorporate it aids significantly.
I’ve been reading extensively about the inherent flaws within our hustle culture. However, whether you’ve resolved to slow down or find yourself compelled to maintain the current pace (I understand, I had no financial choice for a long period), if walking is a part of your routine, this could be an opportune time to weave meditation into your day.