Technique in Walking
Meditation
Meditation is usually associated with the sitting posture. However, many meditation
exercises can be practiced while walking. When walking meditation is alternated with
sitting it helps to balance the practice. Apart from giving you different things to
notice, it's a skilful way to energise the practice if the calming effect of sitting is
making you dull. Actually, it is can be the preferred mode in insight meditation as it is
a meditation in action.
You will need to find a walking track with a level surface from five to ten metres on
which you walk back and forth as your meditation path. Stand at one end of path, and
compose your mind on the sensations of the body. First, let the attention rest in the
feeling of the body standing upright, with the arms hanging naturally and the hands
lightly clasped in front or behind. Allow the eyes to gaze at a point about three metres
in front of you at ground level, thus avoiding visual distractions.Now, walk gently, at a deliberate but 'normal' pace,
to the end of the path. Stop. Focus on the body standing for a period of a couple of
breaths. Turn, and walk back again.
While walking, be aware of the general flow of physical sensations, or more closely
direct your attention to the feet. The exercise for the mind is to keep bringing its
attention back to the sensation of the feet touching the ground, the spaces between
each step, and the feelings of stopping and starting. Keep the attention on the sole of
the foot - not on the leg or any other part of the body.
Then note each step part by part, building up the noting to its six component parts:
'raising', 'lifting','pushing', 'dropping', 'touching' and 'pressing'. Try to do a minimum
walking period of half an hour
and build it up to a full hour. Strategically it is better to do a walking period before a
sitting session as it brings balance into the practice. If you can alternate the walking
and sitting sessions without any major
breaks it will develop a continuity of awareness that naturally carries through into the
awareness of your daily activities.
from BuddhaNet's
Meditation Workshop |
