Chapter 8
When I dance, I dance; when I sleep, I sleep…and when I walk alone in a beautiful orchard, if my thoughts drift to far-off matters for some part of the time, for some other part I lead them back again to the walk, the orchard, to the sweetness of this solitude, to myself.
sixteenth-century essayist Michel de Montaigne
Contrary to popular belief, meditation isn’t always about sitting still. And it’s not just about using your mind. Mindfulness is an embodied practice, meaning one in which you use your whole mind, heart, and body. Yoga masters, practitioners of tai chi, dancers, and many others have known for a long time that movement can relieve stress. The healing power in all yoga and “internal” martial arts (such as tai chi) lies in deep awareness of the body.
You walk all the time—for example, to and from school or the bus stop and from class to class. But, how often are you truly present with each step as you walk? Perhaps most of the time you are lost in thought, thinking about where you are going instead of where you are at that moment. And by the time you get there, maybe you’re already thinking about the next place you will go or the next thing you will do. You put a destination in front of you and chase after it, never truly arriving.
Walking meditation is a radically different way of walking. It involves shifting out of autopilot and walking just for the sake of walking. Rather than focus on where you are trying to go, you bring your awareness to the act of walking itself. You don’t even need to have a destination—you can walk in circles if you want to. When you walk mindfully, you arrive in the present moment with every step, becoming deeply in touch with life in the here and now. Your path becomes a mindful journey. Your steps are in harmony with your breath, and your body begins to feel more relaxed and at ease.
Walking meditation is one of my favorite practices. In the morning, I tend to get anxious and stressed about all the things that I need to do that day. So I practice walking meditation every morning on my way to work. Every time I start mentally going over my to-do list, I remind myself to come back to the present moment. I remember to breathe, and I bring my full awareness to my next step. Instead of continuing to stress, I bring my full awareness to the simple act of walking. I also look up and enjoy the sight of the flowers on the bushes as I walk past and the sound of the birds singing overhead. When I walk in this way, my mornings are much more enjoyable and less stressful.
Walking meditation can be a formal meditation or an informal one. In formal walking meditation, you walk slowly and with great care, not going anywhere in particular. With informal walking meditation, you practice any time you walk anywhere, such as when you walk to school, to the bus stop, or from one room of your house to another. With each step, you will strengthen your mindfulness muscle and find more mental balance, freedom, and resilience. Each step will nourish your mindfulness and resilience, helping you let go of stress.
Try This! Walking Meditation
You can do formal walking meditation using the instructions below or with the help of the recording (track 6) available at http://www.newharbinger.com/30802.
Formal Walking Meditation
For this practice, you can walk around in a circle in your living room or another room of your house. You can also try walking around your yard, around the block, on a nearby trail, or in a park. Before you start walking, stand tall like a mountain. Breathe mindfully in and out three times, establishing yourself 100 percent in the present moment. Breathing in mindfully, take one step. Breathing out mindfully, take the next step. Walk slowly, continuing to synchronize your breath with your steps. Notice how your feet feel as they touch the ground. Notice how it feels for your body to be in motion and moving through your environment. If this practice feels awkward or weird, just notice that too. Every time your mind wanders, or every time stress arises, simply breathe and smile. Bring your complete attention back to the next step, the next breath, arriving again in the present moment. You can silently recite a simple verse as you walk, to help yourself stay present. Say one phrase silently with each step and each breath: I have arrived. I am home. In the here. In the now. Arrived… Home… Here… Now…Informal Walking Meditation
Practice walking mindfully as you go to school, whenever you go up or down a flight of stairs, as you walk to the bus stop, or as you walk around your house. You’ll probably need to walk more quickly than you would during formal walking meditation, but you can still do it with the same mindful awareness. Continue to synchronize your breath with your steps, experimenting with the rhythm. You may find that your in-breath is naturally a bit shorter than your out-breath. For example, you might take two steps with each in-breath and three steps with each out-breath. Instead of getting lost in thought as you walk, intentionally notice your surroundings. Notice the fresh air, the sunshine, the people, the plants, or the animals. Appreciate the wonders of life that you might take for granted if you were in autopilot mode.Daily Walking Meditation
Practice walking meditation for a few minutes every day this week. Experiment with this practice in the spirit of beginner’s mind, as if you were relearning how to walk. Start with slow, formal walking meditation. Then, experiment with informal walking meditation as you go about your daily life. Go on a mindful hike on the beach or through a park. Practice walking meditation when you are feeling stressed, perhaps imagining that you are letting go of a little bit of stress every time you put your front foot down onto the ground. See what you can discover about your steps, your breath, and your inner resilience.
Teen Voices: Nicole T.
“I’ve done some mindful walking, just today—walking to school. It was the first day back at school. I was really nervous, and I didn’t really want to see certain people. So to just get back into the present moment, I was walking, so I just walked more mindfully and paid attention to the muscles in my feet and what I was doing. It helped me stop worrying about it… I was doing mindful walking when I was going to my classes. No one really notices if you’re just paying attention to your feet. So I was able to do that [on my way] to my classes, and it was really, really helpful. It really helped me stay calm. I was able to concentrate a lot more in class, and I didn’t fall asleep, which was good!”
Mindful movement is a practice of moving your body slowly, intentionally, with deep care and attention to what is happening in the present moment. It is a lot like yoga or tai chi, except that your specific postures or movements don’t matter that much. You’re not necessarily “exercising” or trying to get a stretch or a workout. You’re not competing with anyone, even yourself. In this practice, exactly what you do with your body doesn’t really matter. What’s most important is to simply be fully present with your body, with your movements, and with your breath.
Try This! Mindful Movement
You can do this mindfulness practice using the instructions below or with the help of the recording (track 7) available at http://www.newharbinger.com/30802.
This is only an example of a sequence of movements that you can practice. If you already know a yoga or stretching routine, you can do that instead. You can even make up your own movements. What matters is that you bring mindful awareness to your body and move gently as you breathe in and out, honoring your intention to be present. As you go through each movement, pay attention to the messages and sensations that arise in your body. Any time you notice stress or tension, bring special attention to that part of your body. Breathe deeply in and out through that part of your body, seeing whether that allows your body to release some stress or tension.Caution: During mindful movement, it is important to listen to your body, especially if you have any health issues or injuries. If a particular movement causes you pain, do not force yourself to do it. Modify the movement so that it works for your body, or skip it entirely and just practice mindful standing or sitting instead.
Experiment with practicing mindful movement just before you practice sitting meditation or the body scan. Or, practice one or two brief mindful movements any time your body feels stiff or tense—for example, after you have been sitting for a long time at your desk. Let go of any mental stress as you come back to your body.
Practice mindful walking and mindful movement with the same care and attention that you would give to sitting meditation or the body scan. If sitting or lying still is very difficult for you, you may particularly enjoy these “moving meditations.” Whether you are sitting or standing, moving or not moving, you can practice mindfulness to let go of stress any time and anywhere.