In this chapter, I will explain the technique of walking meditation. Just as in the sitting meditation, when we walk we try to keep the mind in the present moment and aware of phenomena as they arise, in order to create clear awareness of the reality around us.
So the question is, why then do we have to switch to walking meditation? Why is sitting meditation not enough? The answer is that walking meditation has several benefits that are not to be gained through the practice of sitting meditation. [1]
First of all, through the practice of walking meditation, we are better able to endure long-distance travel by foot. In ancient times, this was a very important ability, as people would often walk 20 to 30 kilometres in a day. If we sit still all the time, our bodies will become weak and incapable of such exertion. In modern times, especially, our physical inertia has made it so that even a walk down the street is seen as a bothersome task. Walking meditation keeps our bodies in a state of basic fitness, giving us the energy and endurance necessary to travel by foot.
The second benefit from walking meditation is that it gives us patience and endurance to carry out menial tasks. Since walking meditation is a repetitive action carried out at a relatively slow pace, it helps us greatly to develop patience. If we practice it on a daily basis it will increase our physical and mental endurance in carrying out necessary but potentially bothersome tasks. Once we practice walking meditation we will easily overcome any aversion to such tasks and find ourselves more productive and successful in our work, study and lives in general.
The third benefit is that walking meditation helps to overcome sickness in the body. For people who are afflicted by sickness or disease, even diseases that are otherwise incurable, it is said that through the practice of walking meditation many of these diseases may be cured, or at the least reduced in severity. Meditators are said to have overcome many kinds of sickness in the body such as a heart disease, arthritis, etc., simply through the practice of walking meditation. The reason for this is that at the moment of walking meditation one's mind is focused and one's body is calm and, through the slow, methodical movements, one is able to work out the tension and stress acquired throughout one's daily life. Since this stress is an important factor in one's physical well-being, one may therefore be able to heal certain sicknesses in the body through walking meditation.
The fourth benefit is the effect that walking meditation has on the digestive system. If we sit all day, never stretching or exercising the body, we will find that the body's ability to digest food is quite limited, and that much discomfort and disease may be created by our inactivity. When we practice walking meditation as well, especially because it is slow and repetitive, the body is encouraged to work through the food in the stomach and digest it completely, for the greatest physical benefit.
The fifth benefit, that which is most important in regards to the meditation practice and the real reason why meditators are always encouraged to perform walking meditation before sitting meditation, is that the concentration gained by walking, because it is dynamic, lasts into the sitting meditation. If one only practices sitting meditation, it will be difficult for one to begin immediately focusing on the present moment, as one's concentration will be weak and will lead either to distraction or lethargy. Because walking meditation is dynamic, it is easier for both body and mind to settle into the practice naturally and comfortably, so that by the time we begin sitting meditation, our concentration will be well balanced with our mental energy and we will be able to focus the mind immediately on the phenomena as they arise.
So, how do we practice walking meditation? The method, in brief, is as follows:
1. The feet should be close together, almost touching, and should stay side-by-side throughout the walking, neither one foot in front of the other, nor with space between the paths of the feet.
2. The hands should be clasped, right hand holding left hand, either in front or behind the body. [2]
3. The eyes should be open throughout the walking and one is instructed to look at the path ahead about two metres or six feet in front of the body.
4. The whole of the walking path, a straight line upon which one will walk back and forth, should be at least three to four metres, or ten to fifteen feet, long.
5. One begins by moving the right foot out one foot length, with the heel coming down in line with the toes of the left foot. One then moves the left foot out, passing the right foot to come down with the heel in line with the toes of the right foot, and so on, one foot length for each step.
6. The movement of each foot should be fluid and natural, a single arcing motion from beginning to end, with no breaks or abrupt change in direction of any kind.
Most importantly, as you move each foot, make a mental note to yourself just as in the sitting meditation, using a mantra that captures the essence of the movement as it occurs. The mental note in this case is "stepping right” when moving the right foot, and “stepping left" when moving the left foot. One should make the acknowledgement at the exact moment of each movement from beginning to walk until reaching the end of the walking path.
The most important factor in the meditation is the acknowledgement of the present moment. If you make the mental note "stepping right" first and then move your foot, you are acknowledging something that has not yet occurred. If you move your foot first and then note "stepping right", you are acknowledging something in the past. Either way, it cannot be considered meditation, since you are not focused on the action as it occurs.
To make a proper acknowledgement of the experience and develop true clarity of mind, you should say to yourself “step-” at the beginning of the movement, just as you take the foot off the floor; “-ping” as the foot moves forward; and “right” as you finish moving the right foot, at the moment when the foot touches the floor again. The same method should be employed when moving the left foot, and you should try to keep your awareness with the movement of each foot from one end of the path to the other.
Once you reach the end of the walking path, you must turn around to walk back in the other direction. First, you must stop, bringing whichever foot is behind to stand next to the foot that is in front. As you do this, you say to yourself "stopping, stopping, stopping", being clearly aware of the fact that you are stopping the walking process. Once you are standing still, you say to yourself "standing, standing, standing”. Then you begin to turn around, as follows.
1. Lift the right foot completely off the floor and turn it 90° to place it again on the floor, saying to yourself one time "turning". Here it is important to extend the word to cover the whole of the movement, so that the “turn-” is at the beginning of the movement and the “-ing” is at the very end of the movement.
2. Lift the left foot off the floor and turn it 90° to stand by the right foot, noting just the same "turning".
3. Repeat the movements of both feet one more time "turning" (right foot), "turning" (left foot), and now you are facing the opposite direction.
Once you are standing still again, you start the walking meditation again, first saying to yourself "standing, standing, standing", and then "stepping right", "stepping left", as before.
As you are walking, if a distraction occurs – a thought, a feeling, or an emotion, you may choose to ignore it, simply bringing your mind back to the feet, in order to maintain focus and continuity. If, however, the object is persistent or overwhelming, instead of continuing to walk and meanwhile allow the mind follow after the distraction, you can also stop in the middle of the walking path in order to take the new distraction as a meditation object and train the mind to see it clearly for what it is. Simply bring the back foot up to stand with the foot in front, saying to yourself "stopping, stopping, stopping" and then “standing, standing, standing”, and then focus on the new experience, noting to yourself as before, "thinking, thinking, thinking", "pain, pain, pain", or "angry", "sad", "bored", "happy", etc., according to the experience. Once the object of attention disappears, you can continue with the walking as before, "stepping right", "stepping left”.
In this way, you simply walk back and forth, walking in one direction until you come to the end of the designated path, then turning around as explained above to walk in the other direction.
Generally, we try to balance the amount of time spent in walking meditation with the amount spent in sitting meditation, since both have their benefit, and to avoid partiality to one or the other posture. So, if you were to practice ten minutes of walking meditation, we would expect you to practice ten minutes of sitting meditation immediately thereafter. If you were to practice fifteen minutes of walking meditation then you would also practice fifteen minutes of sitting meditation, and so on.
This concludes the explanation of how to practice walking meditation. Again, I would urge you not to be content with simply reading this book; please, try the meditation techniques for yourself and see what benefits they bring. Thank you for your interest in the meditation practice and again I wish you peace and happiness in your life.
Notes:
[1] These five benefits are taken from the Anguttara Nikāya, Caṅkamasutta (5.1.3.9).
[2] Please see illustration 40 in the appendix for an example of proper walking posture.
Yuttadhammo