What is a walking meditation?

As many of you know, I was recently at a 5 day Silent Retreat Training outside Rochester, NY. And while there were wagers placed (I’m looking at you dad) about my success in being silent for five full days, I actually found that I revelled in the silence. I loved the routine and the freedom of not looking anyone in the eyes. I loved the simplicity of waking up, meditating, eating mindfully, meditating, eating, meditating, eating again, meditating and then sleeping … only to wake up the next day and do it all again!

Now if you don’t know what a walking meditation entails, let me “walk” you through it. For me, this involves walking ~15ft, slowly and deliberately with my eyes (mostly) closed. Once you hit the end, you stop, turn mindfully in one direction (I like to live on the edge and alternate my directions), and walk back the other way. The beauty of this practice is that you’re moving your body, feeling your muscles and bones and joints, all while focusing on your breath. I also love when you get to the point where your awareness completely opens up and not only are you in your body, but you are fully aware of your environment, experienced not through sight, but through the smells, sounds and textures of the ground upon which you’re walking. Walking meditation is definitely one of my favourite ways to meditate.  

Have you ever tried it? In the words of my fabulous facilitators, Susan Woods and Helen Vantine, where did it land for you?