Walking meditation
Walking is one of the best activities, we can use it as
meditative practice. The ancient Greek philosophers, called this, Περιπατητικός διαλογισμός – Peripatitikos dialogismos,
(walking meditation.
You can do every day a walk, during which, you can concentrate
on every step, repeating with each step a syllabus of the mantra (a mantra with a name of God or any other
mantra you like) and at the same time, being aware of the inner silence.
You can also do this, in every opportunity, every time you walk; for example,
when you go for shopping to the supermarket or anywhere else.
Instead of being
lost in daydreaming, being distracted by external stimulus, or looking here and
there aimsly, you can use walking, to develop a new positive habit, related to the
mantra and self-awareness. This habit will help you greatly, to remember repeat
the mantra and the inner silence, which in its turn, it will help you, have quicker
progress in your inner development and transformation.
If you do this every day, purposely, with interest and
attention, in a few months (between 8
months and 12 months, or above, depending on the quality of your effort and the
time you will devote to this practice) you will be create a positive habit.
In this habit, it is created a link between the movement of the legs, the repetition
of the mantra and the remembrance of inner silence as well. So, every time you begin
to do your first one two steps (if you
have already forgotten to repeat the mantra and be aware of the inner silence)
you will immediately remember, to repeat the mantra and return in self-awareness
(to be aware of the silent presence
within). After about a year, of
systematic practice, you will have create, another positive habit, a very a powerful
tool, that will help you greatly, to remember to repeat the mantra and to
remain aware of the silent presence within, as well as, to develop concentration,
control of senses and mind, self-awareness, dispassion, detachment and mental
purity. All these are fundamental factors that accelerate your inner development
and transformation.
By creating many small, positive habits, that help us to
remain more time and more steadily, alert, focused and aware of the inner
silent presence, we will become more and more skillful and capable, not to identify
with the external objects and situations, the mind (egoic tendencies, thoughts,
emotions, impulses, desires, etc.), and to eliminate as well, little by little
the egoic patterns and energies; thus, our mind and heart, they will become gradually
more and more pure, transparent, serene and sattvic and we will experience more
and more, harmony, peace, unity, freedom and happiness, in conscious communion
with our true nature (Consciousness, Atman).