Need an easy and effective way to begin or refresh a meditation practice? Try a walking meditation.
Admittedly, outside of my yoga class time, keeping up a consistent meditation practice on my own is something that falls in and out of my lifestyle. Whenever my meditation routine hits up against an obstacle, I happily ditch the whole thing.
While I would never discourage anyone from starting a seated meditation practice, according to the rhythm of the 5 Elements, spring season is not the ideal time to implement an inward, seated, reflective practice. Spring has a boundless waking, upward energy, like new growth gently bursting forth from the ground. When it’s time for that seed to find the sun again, nothing stops it.
So if you naturally struggle with sitting still and quieting the looping thoughts of the “monkey mind,” answer the call to get moving in a way that also promotes mindfulness with a walking meditation practice.
Today’s blog provides 5 tips designed to help you collect a spring bouquet of zen during your next outdoor walk.
Concentration, Meditation, or Mindfulness?
To maximize the following tips, take a moment first to explore your personal intention behind your meditation practice.
Yogi and spiritual teacher Paramhansa Yogananda defines meditation as a vehicle for oneness with God. More modern approaches to meditation focus on mindfulness to connect with the present moment and depart from the more spiritual intentions of the practice.
And according to Patanjali’s 8 Limbed Path, concentration precedes meditation, teaching that before we can hope to meditate, whether on oneness with the divine or otherwise, first we must master the ability to concentrate on one thing at a time.
All of these work synergistically. Without mindfulness, can we really cultivate concentration? And without an ability to concentrate, how can we access the deeper realms of meditation?
Happily, the path to inner peace has many access points.
Walking meditation is an ideal tool in springtime to encourage mindfulness, access the present moment, and connect to the breath, the body, and our surroundings. Connection is an instant mood-booster, helping to release feelings of isolation, discomfort, and lack of purpose.
Here are 5 tips to help maximize a walking meditation.
Tip # 1: Allow and Observe
As you begin your walking meditation, focus on observing the world around you. The Wood element is connected to the eyes, so take time to really observe. So often we focus on tuning out, avoiding eye contact, and keeping our eyes down or on our screens. We’ve trained ourselves to tune out excess — noise, distractions, thoughts, emotions, people, discomforts, etc. The list goes on.
Instead, start cultivating a connection to that aspect of self within each of us that remains steady, calm, confident, and constant no matter how tumultuous or changing the outer world. Looking outward can help us achieve this.
Take note of the sights, sounds, and smells you encounter: deliberate, outward observation has the power to disconnect us from the addictive, constant looping of internal thoughts. Breaking this cycle quiets the mind. Drawing attention outward and away from the looping thoughts during reflective walking meditation helps achieve this.
While honest inner reflection is a necessary step in self awareness and personal growth, excessively looking inward without allowing space for perspective narrows the vision of self too much, stifling new beginnings.
If the eyes are the window to the soul, open that window and take time to see the world around you! You may be surprised by how quickly your mind quiets when you stop looking inward and take time instead to notice the world around you.
Tip # 2: Find Mindful Movement
As you walk, notice the sensation of your feet touching the ground. Pay attention to the movement of your body as you take each step. Engage in each movement with intention and awareness. Experience yourself as that seed springing upward to greet the sunshine and find joy in every movement. Embody the saying to “keep your feet on the ground and your head in the clouds.”
In Taoist philosophy, humankind is an expression of the Wood element, existing equally between the energies of heaven and earth. We have the unique ability to both observe ourselves as an individual within the world, yet also experience feeling of oneness with the world and the present moment. Mindfulness helps create a heartfelt connection between the natural world and our place within it, creating feelings of inner peace and unity.
Tip # 3: Breath Awareness
Next, as you move through your walking meditation, bring your focus to your breath. Notice the rhythm and depth of your inhales and exhales. Allow your breath to guide your movements. Connect with the fresh air and the life force within it.
Breath is so special because it’s an involuntary function — it happens whether we actively think about it or not — yet we can affect it’s rhythm and proficiency when we do take time to think about it. Upon observing this profound body mechanic, the ancient seers viewed the breath as the gateway to the subconscious mind and deeper realms of being.
Tip # 4: Focus on the Blue Sky of Your Mind.
Years ago I took meditation lessons from a Tibetan monk. He said “Focus on the blue sky of your mind.” He explained that thoughts in the mind are like clouds in the sky: they’ll continuously blow in and blow out. Some are dark and stormy, some are light and fluffy. But behind them all is the blue sky, steady, constant, shining. Keep the focus on the blue sky.
I call on this lesson often in mind life, both in and out of meditation. The clouds eventually pass. Connect with your own constant and unchanging source. Focus on that blue sky.
During walking meditation, notice nature’s sensations on your physical body to help with this. Observe without judgment. Notice the sun, the wind, the clouds, or gentle rain. Feel it on your face, a huge receptor of qi (also chi or prana). Let it nourish you.
Tip # 5: Integrate Mindfulness into Your Yoga Practice
After your walking meditation, take your mindfulness practice into your yoga practice. Can you turn your gaze inward again with less self judgment? When I doubt, focus on the breath as you move through the postures.
In Closing:
Walking meditation is a playful and powerful way to connect with nature and your own inner peace. As spring blooms, take the opportunity to awaken your senses to the patterns of nature and reconnect yourself to the waking world of springtime. Use this guide to start or renew your meditation practice and bring a fresh perspective of judgment-free mindfulness into your yoga practice.
Thanks for reading!
Have a great week.
Namaste,
Lara
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