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Walking meditation is the practice of taking some time out of the day to close the mind off from distraction and get focused back on what is going on within. With regular practice, the mind can be trained to live content and at peace with the moment. Meditation for addiction recovery can help stay grounded. Getting creative is important in the process to find the best method for an individual’s needs when it comes to walking meditation. Here are some steps to get started.
How To Do Walking Meditation
One way to meditate is to get walking. It is not commonly thought of when meditation comes to mind but it is ideal to find 20-30 feet of space where a person can walk back and forth. It is deal to find enough room to walk and wander without feeling confined. Walking barefoot is preferable by some while others want comfortable shoes. What a person wears is entirely up to the individual. Some other steps to get started:
Press the feet into the ground. Recognize the slowness of pushing down on the ground through the feet, feel the earth push and move forward while touching the ground
Walk with complete focus on just the present movement, motion and moment
Thoughts will come but let them float away as if on a cloud without distraction to process them
Return attention to the present and stay focused on physical sensations that are driving peace and meditation
It can help to set a timer for the experience to retain some present time awareness. This can be done at work, home, outdoors in nature or pretty much anywhere. Choose a length of time to focus on meditation and walking while making sure there are no distractions in the mind. It is one way to encourage positive, clear thoughts rather than get lost in the thousands of thoughts that float through the brain every minute. This can bring great benefits, including:
Stress relief
Temporary pain management
Lower respiratory rate (cardio health)
Encourages movement for overall health (especially if an individual sits often)
Give it a try and see what happens. Walking meditation is not for everyone but it can take many forms (hiking, walking in the forest, beach, favorite spots inside or out). It is really up to a person to decide how and when to get started, the best time to start is always now.
Blueprints supports individuals who are struggling with addiction to find peaceful moments to bring clarity through meditation, quiet and contemplation. We help design individual programs with your needs in mind. Call us to find out how we can help you with addiction recovery.
