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I’m a firm believer in building a tooklit of healthy tactics and practices for managing stress. Today’s tool is a moving meditation that can be used in conjunction with or instead of sitting meditation.

What is moving meditation?

Moving meditation is just what it sounds like: meditating while moving the body, usually in a slow, deliberate, or rhythmic way. Whereas the focus of sitting meditation is the breath, the focus of moving meditation is the bodily sensations that take place during the movement.

Walking meditation is the simplest form of moving meditation and is accessible to most people. Other types of moving meditation include qigong, tai chi, and yoga. If you want to try these, look for a teacher who understands that these activities have deeper value than simply providing physical exercise.

How to do walking meditation

Find a place where you can take at least 10 steps.

You can walk indoors or outdoors. It’s nice to have a pleasant space to walk, like a park, but all you really need is a hallway where you can take at least 10 steps.

Be sure the walking area is safe and free from obstruction.

Traditionally, walking meditation is done barefoot so you can better notice sensations in your feet, but your walking space may necessitate wearing shoes for safety. Please be safe.

Begin by just standing.

Before walking, notice sensations of standing. Do a slow body scan from feet up to head, noticing sensations in each part of the body.

You can stand with eyes open or closed, but open your eyes before beginning to walk.

Walk slowly. Very, very slowly.

You can meditate when walking fast, but the slow pace makes it easier to focus on bodily sensations.

Walk normally. There’s no need to alter your gait in any way. You may, however, find that the very slow pace sometimes challenges your balance.

Keep your head upright, but gaze down at the ground, several feet in front of you.

Turn around.

If your path is short and you need to turn around, turn around slowly, noticing the sensations of turning.

Pause and experience standing before you begin to walk again.

Keep your attention on the sensations of walking.

As you walk, you can notice the sights and smells of the environment around you. After all, they are here in the moment with you.

But your attention should focus mainly on the sensations of walking.

(Optional) If you like, you can coordinate your steps with your breath.

Perhaps you’ll take two steps during your inhalation and three steps during your exhalation. The exact number doesn’t matter. Choose the number of steps that suit the length of your inhalation and exhalation.

As you walk, you will focus on the breath and the other sensations in the body.

When to do walking meditation

Walking meditation can be done in place of sitting meditation on any given day. It can be especially useful on days where you feel too restless to sit. It can also be added to sitting meditation. It doesn’t matter whether you sit then walk, or walk then sit. Of course you could walk, then sit, then walk…..then sit...then walk - okay, I’ll stop now. It’s time to practice.

For a 5-minute meditation, forward the podcast or the video above to 4:09.

Members can find a 15-minute walking meditation in the Meditation Library. Not a member, yet? Click here to join.

Before you go

If you enjoyed this lesson,