Talk Fourteen: Walking Meditation (Step by Step)

In walking meditation, walking itself is the host object. The primary objects are the movements involved in stepping and placing the foot down. The Buddha explained walking meditation by dividing it into six parts, although some traditions contemplate it in three parts: lifting, stepping, and putting down.

The yogi must walk with sati, discerning the nature of lifting, stepping, and placing the foot down through continuous noting. Although the labels used in noting are conceptual, what must be discerned is the ultimate nature of each movement:

During walking meditation, these three characteristics—lightness, movement, and touch—serve as the host primary objects.

If, for some reason, the yogi is unable to note all three parts—such as in daily life—then noting only stepping and placing down is acceptable. Attempting to note all three parts while moving in worldly situations may be difficult and even unsafe. The essential point is not the number of labels, but whether sati is present and continuous, and whether mindfulness is not lost.

At the end of the walking path, if one wishes to stop, one should note the intention to stop before stopping.

Stopping and Turning in Walking Meditation

When stopping, note “stopping” and contemplate its nature as calming down. At the end of the walking path, the sequence is as follows: wanting to stop → stopping. After that, note wanting to turn → turning, and feel directly the nature of movement involved.

Then continue with lifting, stepping, and putting down the foot. For elderly practitioners, it is sufficient to note stepping and putting down. The hands should be placed in front of the abdomen, with the right palm resting on the left. The eyes should be restrained, not wandering here and there, as careless looking will disturb samādhi.

Note on the Thai Forest Tradition

The Thai forest tradition places strong emphasis on walking meditation. Ajahn Mun himself and his disciples practiced many hours of alternating walking and sitting. He taught proper posture and walking practice, as recorded in the forest Dhamma talks of Luangta Mahā Bua. Ajahn Mun also emphasized that what he taught was the same as in the Buddha’s time.

Two Ways of Mindfulness in Daily Activities

There are two approaches to mindfulness in movements and activities of daily life:

1. Slow, deliberate movements, emphasized in the Mahāsi system.

These may appear awkward to some, but they are extremely effective for developing detailed mindfulness, especially when one is alone. When mindfulness is applied carefully, slow movements allow clear discernment.

2. Natural mindfulness, appropriate when one is with others—such as during alms round or communal activities.

Mindfulness has a natural beauty. Some enlightened monks embodied this beauty naturally in their deportment, such as Bassein Migadhayone Sayadaw U Sumanācāra (1832–1921).

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