Walking Meditation

We practice slow walking meditation between sessions of sitting meditation at all of our sittings. A small bell is invited and we rise and bow to one another in recognition of the buddha nature of each person and in appreciation for the love and support of the sangha. (see "to bow or not to bow" on the Plum Village website).

In slow walking meditation we walk in a circle, not to get anywhere, but to be present with every step. We breathe in with the first step, out with the next, and stay present with our breaths and our steps. We may notice how our foot feels as it contacts and releases the floor, how the air flows past our body, we may sense the flow of the sangha as it moves through the room, we may imagine flowers blooming in our footsteps as we pass (as they did, according to stories, beneath the feet of the baby Buddha). We may also repeat a mantra with each breath/step, for example, "I have arrived, I am home."

We can also practice walking meditation anywhere at any time. This is described beautifully in How to enjoy your stay at Plum Village.

For more guidance in walking meditation, see these books by Thich Nhat Hanh:

	A Guide to Walking Meditation
	The Long Road Turns to Joy

• Practicing With Us
• Sittings
• Days of Mindfulness
• Other Events
• Practicing Mindfulness
  • Introduction to Sitting Meditation
  • Introduction to Walking Meditation
  • Introduction to Dharma Discussion
  • Five Mindfulness Trainings
  • Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings