Every path, every street
in the world is your
walking meditation path
Nhat Hanh
Are you on the path of meditation? Have you ever tried a walking meditation? Not sure if it’s even possible? Well, it is–at least if you keep your eyes open. If you don’t then it’s just called falling.
I use a counting meditation while doing my walking meditation. It helps me to focus my attention just enough while still allowing me to be aware of my surroundings. The counting is a bit more involved than just counting 1 to 10, but not so complicated that all of your attention is on it. You need just enough attention.
Each step is a number. I count one round of 10 and step it down by one number at a time and continue until there is only 10 left. And then I start again.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
6, 7, 8, 9, 10
7, 8, 9, 10
8, 9, 10
9, 10
10
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
The original version of this is to start at the lone 10 and then add numbers.
10
10.9
10,9,8
10,9,8,7
10,9,8,7,6
and on…Once you count all 10 numbers in one sequence, then you start in the opposite direction with 1 then 1, 2, and on and on. I don’t do this option. Numbers don’t come easily to me and I kept having a hard time with them which caused more distractions. So much easier for me to just go forward, one step at a time.
I walk. Yellow trail stretches out ahead. Yellow to orange, then yellow again as I circumnavigate the park. Walking. Shoes swish the leaves away. Meditating with each step.
Jennifer Koshak (hiking the yellow trail in Sleeping Giant State Park.)
If you’d like to learn more about walking meditations, check out this Walking Meditations: To Find a Place of Peace Wherever You Are. It provides information on mindful walking and walking meditations, as well as practices to remind us that our feet touching the earth brings us to right now. Or try Walking Meditations: Easy Steps to Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh.
I’m famous for losing count! But this will probably work for me. I’m going to pin it, as well as tweet, thanks!
Keep trying.
I like your version very much! Our guests are always asking us for counting sequences when they walk our labyrinth, with your permission, I would like to share yours.
Please do share. That’s why I wrote this post, so others could benefit from it.
Interesting, I often count or recite the alphabet in my head to stay on task or reduce anxiety. Mindfully incorporating it a walking routine sounds wonderful and calming to me ?
My coach just got me into doing a walking meditation and I was skeptical at first, but I really like it–I’m finally able to focus and I’ve rediscovered my love of walking.
This is great. To meditate while I walked as a teenager I did the ASL alphabet. It gave my mind something to tune out while I didn’t have to actively think of any images or words.
I’ve got to try this because I love to walk and I have a hard time sitting still for meditation. I’m unable to walk outside much during ice/snow and miss it terribly. I also would love to have a labyrinth.
Jennifer, I walk all the time, but never tried this. Sounds hypnotic. Thanks!
I used to do something similar to this when I was single and going through my lovely divorce. I had a whole “walking” playlist that streamed through my ear buds. I had landmarks I wanted to hit before a song went off to make sure I was hauling ass so I could get skinny again. It must of worked because Miss Madison took a shine to me ;).
Interesting. I’ve never got into meditation – could never switch off to do it properly. But my dad used to encourage me to do number patterns in my head to break myself out of panic attacks when I was a child.
I wonder if this would work to get to sleep…I am rubbish at meditation my head just NEVER stops exploring ideas and it drives me nuts. The only thing that stops it is music and I have learned to lose myself in that when I have really had enough. At school I was called a ‘scatter brain’ but I think the polite term now is ‘holistic thinker’ 🙂 Its a curse whatever it’s called so I will try your idea thank you!