When you think of meditation, you probably imagine someone sitting quietly with their eyes closed, paying attention to the world around them. However, meditation comes in many forms, and you can even meditate while moving. In fact, meditation can be practiced while walking outside. Take the idea of walking meditation.
“Walking meditation is the practice of walking while being fully present and aware of your body and surroundings,” says Jenifer, a clinical psychologist and senior clinical manager at California Executive Mental Health.・Dr. Ho says: “Oftentimes we get distracted while walking, planning our work for the day or basically thinking about something else.”
The main goal of walking meditation is to learn to be present in the moment, without judgment, while doing a simple activity like walking, Dr. Ho says.
Walking meditation can be practiced on its own, but it can also be combined with other meditation practices. The best part? “Even 5 to 10 minutes of daily walking meditation can help,” says Dr. Ho.
Let’s take a closer look at walking meditation, including how to get started, its benefits, how to do it, and tips for overcoming challenges.
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Start walking meditation
Here’s more about walking meditation: it’s meant to be simple. You don’t need any special equipment, and it’s not about how fast you walk or how many minutes it takes to get there. As always, walk with a little more awareness. Be fully present and use your senses to become more aware of your surroundings, feel how the air fills your lungs and how the leaves rustle under your feet.
Start with small, easy steps, suggests Dr. Ho. This might look like a 5-10 minute walking meditation routine. If you’re working, you can do a walking meditation during your lunch break, she says. After this, slowly increase your walking meditation time.
Expect it to feel a little strange at first, says Dr. Ho. “At first, it may feel like no different from regular walking,” she says. “Often people decide that walking meditation, or meditation in general, is a waste of time. This is completely normal.”
As you walk, you’ll begin to notice that your mind wanders from topic to topic. That’s fine, but it’s important to get back to mindfulness.
Recognize that these judgments are just thoughts that will pass, and gently return your attention to the feeling of your feet touching the ground, the wind on your face, and the sun on your skin.
Benefits of walking meditation
There has been a lot of research done on the benefits of meditation in general and walking meditation in particular. “Research suggests that practicing walking meditation improves overall mood, emotional regulation, concentration, and memory,” says Natalie Moore, LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Los Angeles. says.
Plus, there’s no downside to getting up and moving as much as physically possible.Remember, walk teeth exercise! If you’ve had a stressful day or are just not feeling like yourself for any reason, walking meditation is a great way to ground yourself.
Therapy clients often report that taking a mindful walk leaves them feeling refreshed, feeling more connected to nature, gaining perspective on their problems, and increasing their self-confidence.
research
According to Moore, the following study is one of the most convincing studies about meditation in general, and walking meditation in particular.
- A 2019 study found that just 13 minutes of meditation daily for eight weeks had positive effects on mood, attention, and memory.
- A 2016 study showed that eight weeks of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) changed brain structures related to emotional regulation.
- A promising 2018 study showed that just one 10-minute meditation session increased participants’ focus and gave them a task to complete after meditating.
- A 2020 study suggested that the number of walks per week was associated with improved mental health. The length of the walk is not an important factor.
- In 2018, researchers found that both a single 10-minute walk and 10 minutes of meditation immediately improved mood in young people.
Mindful walking techniques and tips
Remember, walking meditation doesn’t have to be complicated and doesn’t require careful planning. It’s about getting out and walking like you always do, but with a little more mindfulness and intention.
Here are Dr. Ho’s top tips for making walking meditation work for you:
- Walk slowly in a quiet and calm place.
- Focus on one sensation at a time. For example, focus on the sensation of your breathing or what you see while walking.
- Be aware of your surroundings and your judgments about what you are doing and thinking.
- Write down your thoughts about upcoming events, busyness, etc. for the rest of the day.
- When you notice difficult thoughts, try to let them go by instead focusing on the feeling of your feet touching the ground, the coolness of the wind on your skin, or other physical sensations.
- Continue this practice during your walk. Observe your sensations, observe your thoughts, let go of your thoughts, and focus on your surroundings.
overcome challenges
The main question people have when starting walking meditation is, “Am I doing it right?”
Moore says this is very common, but she gives him permission to stop voicing the idea. “Let me be clear: as long as you go into meditation with the intention of being present, you’re doing the right thing,” she asserts.
So what can you do when those fears and doubts start to arise? Here’s Moore’s advice:
- Remember that learning new skills like meditation takes time and practice.
- Tell yourself that it’s okay to get lost in thought during your walking meditation.
- Just continue to gently bring your awareness back to the present moment.
- When in doubt, focus on your five senses: sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch.
- Try not to criticize yourself when your mind wanders.
conclusion
According to Dr. Ho, the benefits of walking meditation are similar to meditation as a whole, and can help reduce stress and depression, improve sleep quality, and even improve health conditions such as high blood pressure and chronic pain.
Most importantly, if you are just starting walking meditation, try not to worry about whether you are doing it correctly or whether it is effective. Incorporating walking meditation is something almost anyone can do. It’s all about getting out there, putting one foot in front of the other, and trying to be aware of the present moment and what I’m experiencing.
“Understand that the purpose of meditation is not to clear your mind,” says Dr. Ho. “The real goal is to be able to observe and notice the thoughts that enter and exit your mind without judgment.”
