As I have stated many times, you can meditate anytime and anywhere. I can’t clarify this enough: Meditation is any type of mindfulness where you are centering your energy and thoughts in the present. This means you are not thinking about the past or the future; your fears and or your fantasies. It means you are not letting your mind run rampant with random thought trails. Instead, you are rooted completely in the present moment. What is happening right now…? and now… and now…? That is meditation and yes it can be that simple. It’s not that simple though is it? Keeping your thoughts centered in the present takes continued diligence and perseverance. Walking meditations (or even bike riding meditations) are a great way to remain centered in the moment while being mobile and aware of outside stimulus. The biggest difference between a formal sitting meditation session and a walking meditation is that your eyes obviously need to be open while walking and you are also taking in outside stimulus whereas in a formal sit down meditation you are taking in and processing mostly inside stimulus.
A sitting meditation allows you to completely settle into mind and body connecting the out breath with energy and awareness. It allows you to stretch those gaps between thoughts so that inner wisdom can well from within. A walking meditation draws from the same principles of inner wisdom but also incorporates the outside world. Especially in nature, there is a blend of inner tranquility with the tranquility and energy of our natural outside environment. Yes, you have to watch where you are going so you do not trip or run into something; but there is the added mindfulness of outside stimulus like wind and sun against your face, perhaps bare feet in the sand or grass; visual interest of light glistening off of dew in the morning or a vibrant sunset to the west. There is an added benefit to being fully present with mind and body and also connected to the environment around you. A bridge is crossed between inward and outward qualities of mindfulness which grounds you to your physical environment.
Make time to take a walk or bike ride in a local nature preserve or park, preferably away from scores of people. Less people can mean fewer distractions. Get lost in nature and your outside environment. Look up and be aware of the sky. Look down and be aware of the detail before you. Look out over the horizon and value the space around you and within you. Find silence in nature and your natural environment. Instead of random thoughts driving your mind, let your outer and inner environment drive the experience. Every time your thoughts stray, refocus on an element of nature.
Daily Life Practice
During a walking meditation fears, worries and anxieties can surface as errant thoughts draw your attention away from the present. These might be just passive fears or anxieties but these wayward thoughts are taking your awareness away from the present. This is totally normal and some sessions will be more challenging than others. Thoughts may include how you are going to pay the rent or mortgage next month. Maybe you need new tires on the car. Maybe you forgot to mail that thank you letter to your friend. Yes, these are all important things but not in this moment. Not right now. Such worries will simply repeat themselves needlessly in your mind. Be mindful of unnecessary thoughts replaying in your mind. While outside, try this simple daily life practice during any meditative respite marred by thoughts of worry and anxiety: As a negative or worrisome thought arises in the brain visually imagine yourself pinching the thought with your fingers and actually placing it on a tree in the far off distance. I know, a bit strange but give it a try. That rent or mortgage is not going to get paid right now. Get creative, and place that concern on the peak of a house in the distance. Put the worry of future car repairs on that car moving away from you in the distance. Those unfinished tasks that you will undoubtedly complete later; attach to that cloud floating high above your head. Be mindful that there is so much space inward and outward. Place those worries, anxieties and fears away from you. These are symbolic gestures that will immediately create breathing space within your environment. See the space around you and visualize the space within you. Notice how when you make space for a worry it dissolves temporarily. Where did it go? Remember you can control your own space and thus your own stress levels. Be mindful that you are always in control and your only focus right now is the present; thus stretching those gaps between thoughts to allow inner wisdom to well from your True Nature.
John C. Bader
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This is a wonderful explanation of mindfulness and meditation, somehow I have never connected the two before. I have never been successful with sitting meditation, but can be fully mindful when out walking in nature. Now I understand why that is so peaceful and stress-reducing for me. Maybe I can apply that mindset and finally master indoor-eyes-closed meditation to keep grounded.
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I decided to repost the blog post referenced in the previous reblog. Love this!
I had described my daily morning meditation in other terms but, I think we are saying the same thing. I try to bring my mind to nothing, allowing free flow of thought of its’ own accord. My mind leads me, and I follow. It takes a state of Nothing to bring on something….??
Hey Dave! Glad to hear you are meditating in the morning. Keep it up! It might be impossible to bring the mind to nothing. There is always something isn’t there? The nothing should be your egos control on your mind. The idea is to connect your body and mind with breathing and try to keep the mind centered in the present; away from thought trails that wander off into fears, fantasy, past and future. When we are centered in the present the ego is powerless and the mind is silent but still processing what is happening right now: feelings, sensations, sounds and silence. From that silence the gaps between thoughts stretch and within that gap is where your True Nature wells. From that True Nature and silence will come your intuition and inner voice of wisdom. So it is not that it takes on a state of nothing to bring something (unless we are talking about the pre-big bang Universe) but the art is to silence the ego and errant, wandering thoughts to allow something pure and empowering to well up from within. You may have to refocus your thoughts a 1000 times in a meditation – it is that refocusing that strengthens and sharpens the mind. Some meditation sessions will be better than others and you can achieve this same meditative respite while out on a walk in nature. Meditation is simply being present wherever you might be – that is when the magic happens. Imagine in 5 years how experienced you will be! JCB
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From John C. Bader – The Responsive Universe