Walking Meditation

Thich Nhat Hanh, one of my favoite authors, wrote:



The mind can go in a thousand directions.

But on this beautiful path, I walk in peace.

With each step, a gentle wind blows.

With each step,  a flower blooms.

Although I have never met Thich Nhat Hanh, he lives in France, we often go for walks together.  I cross the street in front of my house and walk into the forest and ask, "Thich, would you please go for a walk with me today?" and the mind located in my heart is full of his love and presence and we go for a walk together. 

My Grandfather Hammond taught me to hike.  Every summer we would travel from Washington State to his home in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and he would take me hiking up his favorite peaks.  He died years ago, but sometimes when hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains (he would have laughed and called them the "Blue Ridge Hills") I invite him to hike with me and I feel his foot steps next to me and feel his love envelope me. 

Grandpa Hammond on the trail, 1966.

We walk all the time; usually from the car to some "important" destination like the grocery store and fight for the best (ie. closest) parking place.  However walking can be more than a means of moving our bodies from one place to another.  Walking can also be a doorway into a meditative state . . . a form of meditation.

In addition to walking for/with someone, like I do with Thich and my Grandfather, walking meditation can be a deep contemplative practice.  Breathe in and take a step.  As you step forward focus all of your attention on your foot as it touches the earth, feel your feel touch the ground and feel the rest of your foot as it slowly rotates down to join your heal, firmly planted on the earth.  Once you are grounded, deeply rooted into the earth with your foot, breathe in and take another step.  If you practice Qigong then as you root your foot deeply within the earth you may visualize Qi flowing up from the earth, into the ball of your foot, up your leg and into your lower Dan Tien (remember that Qi follows the mind . . . where the mind goes, Qi follows).

Once in a while I park at the far end of the parking lot and do mindful walking to the entrance of the grocery store.  I walk slowly and count my steps as I breath.  In-One-two-three, Out-one-two-three . . .   I have been amused, upon arriving at the entrance, to discover the perplexed looks on the faces of people who watched my slow treck to the store.  I smile, give a little bow, and thank my feet for the joy that they have given me all of these years.

You don't need to sit in stillness to meditate.  Find a way to make meditation a daily part of your life.

To your health . . .