Walking Meditation

My mid to late twenties were one of the most difficult periods of my life. All of my core issues seemed to be emerging and there were times when I descended into the depth of the abyss. The pain was so intense and I would just sit or lie in bed and breathe into the feelings for hours.

I felt like I needed to get out of the house one evening so I went out for a walk. I started breathing into the feelings of loss that were surfacing at the time. Breathing into the feelings helped to soften the pain. I could tell that the difficult feelings and emotions were becoming more manageable. I started going out for long walks in the evenings as often as I could. I would usually do this walking meditation for an hour or two at a time.

Breathing into the feelings as I walked at a gradual pace would take me into such a deep state. I ran into different sets of friends on several occasions. Both sets of friends looked at me in amazement and said "…Your eyes are glowing." They went on to describe a kind of presence or light that was emanating from my eyes.

I continued to do the walking meditation after I moved to New Mexico. I would either walk along the trails or the dirt road that ran parallel to the Rio Grande. I would hike the trails in the Sandia Mountains during the summer months when it was really hot down in the valley.

Going on the walking meditations caused my sensory awareness to become much more vivid. I could feel the density of accumulated emotion that I had been holding within my body. My aura would begin to extend further out from my body. All those pent up emotions began to circulate through my physical and subtle bodies. I could also sense the electromagnetic field that was emanating from the Earth. The Earth’s electromagnetic field would interact with my own aura in a way that helped to diffuse the painful emotions. The heavy energies and emotions were purified and that made them more digestible.

The Earth’s presence is very nurturing. I would absorb the Earth’s emanations and that gave me more strength and stability. I also used my emotions as a doorway to access the presence of the divine. The difficult emotions would subside as I continued to breathe into them. I would then feel a very comforting presence emerging from within.

The painful feelings and emotions associated with depression, anxiety and traumatic experiences can create tremendous stress on the body and mind. Many of these feelings and emotions have sat within our bodies and minds for so long and they are not easily digested. The walking meditation softens and diffuses the painful feelings and emotions. This practice helps to bring a sense of calm and stability to those who are feeling overwhelmed. It also helps people to become more present in their own bodies.

Exercise: Walking Meditation

The walking meditation can help you to find a source of strength and stability in the midst of a crisis. It can also help you to process the stresses of the day, so that they do not accumulate within your body.

Find a quiet place where you can go out for a walk. Stop for a few moments and allow yourself to reflect on what’s happening in your life. Pay attention to any feelings or sensations that emerge and then notice where these feelings are located within your body. Begin to breathe softly and deeply as you center your awareness within the feelings and sensations that you are experiencing.

Keep your awareness focused on your feelings as you begin to walk at a gradual pace. Do the best you can to pace your walk to the rate of your breathing and the flow of your emotions. The feelings will go through a series of changes as you breathe into them. They may intensify and then soften or the feelings may spread to other parts of your body. Other feelings and sensations may also emerge. Continue to follow the feelings as they go through their progression. The feelings may dissipate at some point. You may experience feelings of calm or warmth afterwards. Breathe into the sense of calm or warmth or any other feelings or sensations that emerge.

The walking meditation is a form of mindfulness practice that helps to soften painful emotions. You will gain the clarity that will make it easier for you to resolve difficult issues and cope with challenging circumstances. Your body and mind will soften as the stresses are processed. The presence of the higher power will flow more readily through your body and mind as the stresses dissolve and your emotions begin to flow. Working with this practice will make it easier for you to stay connected to your body and your feelings in the midst of whatever you’re doing. You will feel calmer, your intuition will grow stronger and you will become more grounded.