Walking Meditation

An excellent meditation technique is a walking meditation. This is a great way to exercise and meditate at the same time. When you meditate while walking, you will feel a stronger connection to Nature and the world around you.

The concept is to focus your mind while walking. One way is to focus on each step taken to keep your mind clear and free from racing and random thoughts.

What I like to do while walking is use a little visualization technique I learned from one of my masters. Breathe in and out long and slow as much as you possibly can. Inhale until your lungs are as full as possible and exhale until your lungs are as empty as possible.

When you inhale visualize bright white energy from the Universe entering every cell in your body. When you exhale visualize gray spent energy and any discomforts leaving your body like smoke.

You should be able to slow your breathing rate to eight or nine breaths per minute. Do this for two to three minutes periodically throughout your walk, the rest of the time breathe normally. Your heart rate is up, you are perspiring, and you are burning calories.

Unlike sitting meditation, you will remain fully aware of everything around you. By the time you return from your walk you will feel better and be more calm.

There is also another benefit. When you breathe normally, your breathing is shallow, and you are using only the top third of your lungs. The air in the bottom two thirds of your lungs becomes stale air.

By focusing on deep breathing, taking in long, slow deep breaths filling your lungs to full capacity and exhaling long and slow emptying your lungs as much as possible, you will get the benefit of exercise as well as exchanging the stale air stored in your lungs through normal shallow breathing.