Archive for February 22nd, 2008

Walking meditation

Friday, February 22nd, 2008

Q. Masters, I recently read an article where a woman was talking about the pleasure she took from doing something she called “walking meditation.” This confused me because, until then, all my reading concerning the benefits of meditation related to the metaphysical practice of “sitting.” Book after book advises that mystics have to sit for years in quiet solitude in order to reach even the most basic levels of enlightenment. Can you explain this to me, please?

A. The goal or purpose of meditation is to be able to go within to connect with the energy of your essential soul. This may only be accomplished in quiet solitude. In today’s world the noisiest distraction to contemplation is your over-active brain. Schools of meditation teach you to begin by concentrating on your breathing, saying a mantra, or thinking about something that causes you to forget all else. All of these tricks work to divert your mind away from everyday thinking. But then you may find yourself fixated upon them.

Walking is another method of quieting the mind. At first you are concerned with where you are going, that you are not going to trip, and what the weather is like. With the monotony of the repeated steps, you get into a comfortable pattern that quiets your mind and allows you to hear your inner self.

You will also find an added benefit—the exercise. Physical exertion prevents you from folding up into a ball and impeding the free flow of energy throughout your body. As the body moves you become aware of the need to breathe deeply, bringing in and connecting to the energies of Mother Earth and Father Sky.

Another form of non-sitting meditation is moving meditation. This is normally done to the beat of music. Just allowing your body to respond to the vibration of the rhythm allows you again to tap into the inner workings of your physical self and feel your connection to the Universe.