Walking meditation is a way of conscious breathing in combination with soulful calm movement sequences.
Preparation:
You can actually do this meditation anywhere in nature. The important thing is that you are undisturbed and not distracted by noise or other people. Perhaps you know a beautiful forest path or you are walking along a stream or lake. If you have a large garden, you can also meditate there. Of course you can also practise in a room, but make sure that you can move freely.
Duration:
Take at least half an hour for walking meditation, an hour would be even better, especially the first time it is better to plan more time. If you have already practised walking meditation several times, you will see that a duration of 15 minutes is already sufficient to relax you completely.
If you do walking meditation during the day, it is like a short holiday for body and soul. It clears your head and you can start the second half of the day completely relaxed and with fresh energy. In this way, walking meditation can be practised very well between work and housework or after an important meeting.
Of course, you can also do this meditation technique in the evening. Then it helps you to switch off and leave behind the events of the day and nothing stands in the way of a restful night's sleep.
You are welcome to do the hike barefoot, but it is important that you feel comfortable. Comfortable shoes are recommended in any case!
When you are ready to start walking meditation, you can first do a small grounding exercise:
Stand with both legs firmly on the floor, adopt a relaxed posture and let your hands hang at the sides of your body. The knees are not fully pressed through and are loose. Sway slightly to the left, right, front and back until you find your stable centre of gravity. Then close your eyes and imagine inhaling through your head, the breath flowing through your body and exhaling through your feet into the floor. Do this exercise for a few minutes and feel how you are rooted to the earth.
Instructions for walking meditation:
Feel the ground under your feet and take a deep breath. Concentrate fully on your breathing and on the sensation in your feet. Lower your head slightly so that you can perceive a small visual area around your feet with half-open eyes.
Then shift the weight of your body from your right foot to your left foot so that almost all your weight is on your left foot. Now slowly lift your right foot. Start with the heel, then the sole of the foot and finally the toes. Carefully put the foot back down, starting again with the heel. Make even, flowing movements.
Then shift the weight to the right foot and repeat, slowly moving the left foot forward. During the movement, notice every little change in your body. As you lift your foot, notice how your muscles tense; as you touch down, feel the temperature and the unevenness of the floor on your feet; as you shift your weight, feel your whole body working to keep your balance.
Breathe slowly and evenly and also involve your senses. During meditation, enjoy the surroundings. What can you see, hear or smell here? Listen to the sounds of nature and breathe the fresh air into your lungs. Be aware of your posture and check in between if your mind is still on your feet. If not, focus your attention on your feet and your breath again so that you don't stray into thought.
You can also vary the pace in between, just see what is comfortable for you. It is recommended to walk at a moderate pace and enjoy the slowness. Be grateful that you can walk and enjoy the peace that comes with walking. Try to fully enjoy the present moment and let go of everything you don't need right now. Feel like the happiest person in the world, enjoy the fact that you can walk and smile.
After a certain time you stop again. You can close your eyes and straighten your head. Feel how your feet feel now and observe your breathing. Finally, take another deep breath and open your eyes.
Once you have mastered meditation properly, you can access it easily even in busy places. Use waiting time to meditate. The next time you have to wait for something or someone, you can use the time to meditate without others noticing. For example, you can walk back and forth at the train station, taking three steps of inhaling, holding your breath for three steps, exhaling for three steps, holding your breath for three steps.
Tatjana is now doing this kind of meditation and other relaxation techniques on a guided meditative hike through the meadows and forests of Hinterthiersee.
