Teens Meet Outreach

Walking is a form of meditation that uses walking experience as its focus. This is you being mindful and observant of your environment and thoughts while you walk.
This form of meditation helps you to be aware of your mind and everything that goes on in it or around you, which in turn relaxes and clears the mind.

Follow the steps below to know how to meditate while walking

1. Choose a place to walk

Many times, the environment is an important factor to consider in any form of meditation; it could be inside or outside, all that matters is how peaceful and quiet it is. It’s best preferable to opt for smooth lanes where you can walk back and forth, and not places where you’ll have to pause even when you don’t want to. It could also be done in a short or long distance, depending on the particular situation at that time. For example, if you have a meeting break, short distance would be your option; you could use your office, gallery, or the compound.

2. Pace yourself

You can decide to walk fast or slow, depending on your preference; just ensure it is a pace you are comfortable with and will not hinder your meditation. You can try different paces each time you meditate, until you find the perfect pace that suits you.

3. Combine your breathing and steps

With walking meditation, there is an interconnection between your body and your mind. Let your breathing be slow and coordinated, and observe how many breaths you take per step. Inhale and exhale frequently while you walk, and avoid holding your breath.

4. Be aware of your body

This is a very important part of walking meditation; you need to be aware of everything that goes on in your body while you walk. Notice how your clothes move, the way your muscles contract, how you feel while you walk, the movements of your hips, and so on.

5. Be aware of your feelings

You feelings also are very important; they are intrigued by what you do, see, or hear as you walk. It could be feelings of pain, discomfort, restlessness, pleasure, irritation, and so on. Whatever comes your way, accept them; don’t try to hard to switch unfavourable feelings to favourable ones, all that is important is that you are aware of your feelings.

6. Be aware of your mental and emotional states

While you meditate, your emotions are likely to change, but most likely from negative to positive. Observe closely how these emotions change. For example, you are depressed, and when you begin to walk, you feel discomfort and mixed emotions; but along the line, it gets better and you are relieved at the end of the day.

7. Be able to focus

Not everyone finds it easy to focus; for some, it takes a longer while to bring their minds to that point of focus. If that’s the case for you, you can dedicate longer hours for walking meditation in order to gain your focus. Focus is really vital, as you will have to be aware on some parts of your body, your consciousness, things around you, and so on. All these can only be achieved with focus.