Meditation Beyond The Mat

The first time I learned about meditation that actually resonated with me was on walking meditation. Prior to that, I couldn’t rationalize the idea of thinking about nothing. I had tried to meditate only to find sitting on the floor rather uncomfortable, or, when I was comfortable “meditation” became nappy-time. I also found that my mind raced with thoughts. As quickly as I remembered that I was trying to meditate and suppressed a thought, another one would fly in, even more interesting and irrelevant than the last.

Later I learned that meditation is less about suppressing thoughts and more about allowing them to waft in, acknowledge them, detach, and let them waft along their way. Later still, I learned that mindfully watching and letting go of our thoughts can lead us to devalue our thoughts. Relegating our inner dialogue or inner screen as a mere distraction can downgrade important parts of who we are. Alas, one of many meditation quandaries.

I would be remiss not to listicle the known benefits of meditation. Studies show the practice of meditation can: prevent disease, reduce inflammation, effectively treat depression, increase happiness. Up next: studies explore the effects of meditation on prevention, or at least the slowing down, of aging in the brain.

I can’t say I have perfected my meditation craft, but I have come to recognize that what works for each person requires exploring, willingness, and an openness to the journey.

The notion of walking meditation resonated with me because it not just allows for movement, but calls for it. It also calls for time spent in nature – or, at least time spent not on the couch or slumped in a cubicle. I have found walking meditation to fit well into my life – the cornerstone of actually sticking with something. Sometimes my walking meditation happens over miles of ocean, other times it happens during the span of a parking lot. Park at the back of the lot, of course – it burns more calories and gives you a moment to drop in.

In a walking meditation stay present in the moment. Focus, drop in. Tune into your body, drop into the sensation of putting one foot in front of the other, the ebb and flow of your hip flexors, the rise and fall of your diaphragm.

Propel your body forward with the goal of relaxation, letting-go, or clearing your head – any of these can absolutely be a form of meditation. The most beneficial aspect is to be fully present. To be here, now. Well, really – be there, then.

Masters, teachers, senseis can tell us what meditation is and what it is not. Yet, for any of us to garner the benefits of meditation, we must practice it in a way that works for us.

Just begin. Take time to be fully present. Take time to notice, appreciate, and honor the moment: the simplicity of the moment. For as long as you breath: you are a vibrant creature, alive with pure energy, and there are no ordinary moments.

“Within you there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.” – Hermann Hesse

“All methods of meditation are nothing but methods to help you to remember the art of Let-Go. I say remember, because you knew it already. And you know it still, but that knowledge is being repressed by the society.” – Osho