Awareness Walking Meditation Tips

[2ndchance]

I have been doing some walking last few weeks to travel between different teachers.

 

I am trying to walk with awareness in a meditative state.

 

However I am a bit torn between two styles of walking meditation.

 

Do I walk with the balls of the feet touching the ground while lifting the heels slightly up..

 

or ..

 

should I walk with the whole of the feet with the heels of the feet touching the ground first like soldier marching?

 

I like your inputs.

[Fa Xin]

Which feels more natural?

[Zen Pig]

Having come from a zen background,  I had to at some point drop all the technical descriptions of walking meditation.  

With that said,  I walk in our mountains about 12 miles a week.  I don't try to do anything, simply observe life as it unfolds as I travel.  as far as foot placement,  I enjoy walking on ice and snow in the winter,  as I become completely aware of my feet,  where and how they are placed.  walking on ice will keep one in the moment or they will end up on there ass!   

As far as I have come to understand walking meditation, it is a transition off the cushion. one learns to carry the practice through out the day,  which seems to be the goal of sitting or walking meditation.  good luck

[steve]

Natural walking employs lightly touching down with the heel and rolling onto the flat foot as the body weight loads the leg.

That is how the foot is designed.

Walking on the balls of the foot is not natural unless you have tight heel cords.

You can do it while walking slowly but as you pick up the cadence, you'll see that the heel must touch first.

Walking in unnatural ways during walking meditation will be a source of distraction.

Meditation while walking should be about a deep, undistracted connection between awareness, the body, and the environment.

https://www.softstarshoes.com/live-bare-blog/2016/07/12/how-to-walk-barefoot-or-in-minimal-shoes-or-barefoot/

 

[Everything]

As snoop dog puts it.

 

Walk it like its hooooOT. Walk it like its hoooooOT.