Walking Meditation
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What is Walking Meditation?
Meditation can be a powerful way to attune both mind and body. Walking is a similarly passive yet contemplative action that can serve as a means to ease the mind. The combination of both walking and meditation provides light physical exercise and helps attune the mind to the sights, sounds, smells, and interactions both within the mind and with the environment.
Walking meditation can be done in a guided fashion using applications such as Headspace, Calm, and Buddhify, which are linked below. These applications can be used free of cost and guide the practicer through the act of focusing in on a sensation. Through this focus on a sensation, the practicer can come to a deeper connection between the mental and physical worlds.
Health benefits of Walking Meditation
#1 Heart Health: Reduces your body's urge to enter "fight-or-flight" systems
#2 Physical: Walking is a gentle means of physical exercise that is easier on the joints
#3 Diabetes: Walking meditation can help regulate blood sugars
#4 GI: Walking and meditation can both help to improve digestion
Ready to Try? Follow our Guide
1) Pick your location!
Choose a path suitable for a gentle pace, free of objects and preferably in nature.
2) Choose
Choose a sensation - smell, sights, sounds, or the feel of your feet on the ground.
3) Focus
Hone in on this sensation as you begin to make a gentle walk through your chosen path.
4) Notice
As you begin to walk and sharpen your focus, notice the differences in awareness, perhaps the sense of time, or even your mood start to shift.
5) Breathe
As you approach the end of your path, cool down with a breathing exercise: stand still and close your eyes, breath in for 8 seconds and exhale for 4 seconds, continuing to focus on the sensation.
6) Reflect
Check in with your body and reflect on this experience. Consider another round of meditation with your focus on a different sensation!
Looking to Incorporate A Guided Meditation?
As you work on developing your craft, consider adding more tools. One great option if you're looking for more guidance is to bring your cell phone along with you and try a guided meditation using one of these free meditation apps.
Resources:
The following sources were used in creating these recommendations. https://www.healthline.com/health/walking-meditationhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6064756The website is intended solely for general educational and information purposes, and is not intended to provide advice to healthcare professionals. EMORY MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED AS TO THE MATERIAL DISCUSSED ON THIS WEBSITE WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, COMPLIANCE WITH QUALITY, REGULATORY, ACCREDITATION OR NATIONAL STANDARDS OF CARE. EMORY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE RELATED TO THE MATERIAL PRESENTED ON THIS WEBSITE.
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