The Walking Meditation - Reflecting On Our Most Basic Needs

We often hear how much the world has changed in the past 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 years or more depending on whom you speak with.

That viewpoint has never made much sense to me, even as a child. And as an adult now with more experience, I still maintain that view. We still face the same stress and anxiety today that our parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and so on did. True, technology may have changed during that time, but the stress, anxiety, and basic responses are the same.

We each need to eat and drink each day. We need to provide shelter for ourselves and perhaps a family. We all need to have some form of clothing to protect us from the weather. We all need to feel the sense of security and safety a community provides. Having these basic needs met in well balanced proportion allows each of us to reduce or minimize our stress.

But what happens when we do not have or at least perceive to not have these needs met? Humans, as an evolutionary response, tend to envision the worst-case scenario which elevates our stress and anxiety levels. 'I have no food or water; how will I survive the next few days?' This may have been a beneficial response thousands of years ago but how does it serve us now? In short, it won’t.

So when our access to the most basic needs seems to have been interrupted how do we proceed and return to balance?

This is where the effective walking meditation may be used. But to use this form of meditation effectively one has to realize the need and benefits of this non-action or non-doing. When times of stress or anxiety arise, it's time for walking meditation.

When we become skillful with our awareness of the present moment walking meditation allows us to negate the immediate 'fight or flight' response. As a result, we institute mindful reflection of our circumstance with questions such as: is this situation as dire as it seems? Have I encountered a situation like this before? I made it through then and I'll make it through now.

Walking meditation may be enjoyed anywhere, not just in a peaceful park, garden, or forest. Places like a city block, your office building, or even shopping mall or grocery store are just as ideal. The important aspect of the walking meditation is bringing awareness to your surroundings. With each slow step breathing in and out with kind attention to any sensation in your nostrils such as the coolness of the air during your in-breath and the warmth during your out-breath.

Knowing that in that very moment you have everything you need, nothing more and nothing less.

If you are enjoying your walking meditation in a office look at the carpet or walls every so often. Do you see any imperfections like a snag in the carpet or peeling paint in a corner? How often have you walked by there without ever even noticing? There will always be some form of imperfection but the carpet still functions as required preventing people from slipping as they walk. The wall still stands and provides support for the building and perhaps even has some beautiful artwork hanging.

What smells are you able to notice as you continue your walk? Is it during lunchtime? Without judgmental statements like ‘this smells good’ or ‘eww, what’s that smell’ see if you’re able to discern the varying fragrances. Remember, people like all kinds of foods and it’s not for us to decide what someone else should like or dislike.

Walking meditation allows us to reconnect with what’s most precious, life. We are alive in that present moment and that is a gift in itself. The past is gone, and we may never return there. The future does not exist as we conceptualize it to be. And therefore, the ‘troubles’ we face, no matter how severe we may initially think, truly aren’t as severe as we give them credit for.

Wishing you continued peace and wellbeing,

 

Vladimir

 

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram at @bluelotuscenter for more ways to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Calming The Mind During Times Of Anxiety

There seems to be always something occurring either in the world or our personal lives that we allow to agitate our minds. Perhaps we wake up only to find an expectation of ours has been altered, not met, or even abandoned. Regardless of the specific situation or circumstance our expectation lies from wanting to control the future, something we know is not possible. Remember, the future does not exist and therefor we cannot control what does not exist. And this may result in the mind becoming agitated or filled with anxiety.

But we do exist, you and I, in this very moment, are in existence. The future, we'll it does not exist, and most likely the future you're envisioning will not manifest itself as badly as you imagine. 

When our mind is agitated or unsettled we are not able to think or rationalize clearly. It's as if we are looking at life while driving through a heavy rainstorm uncertain if we're even in our lane. If you've ever been caught in one of these events you know how dangerous it can be. Driving at a high rate of speed, fear of hydroplaning, wipers on high, and windows up and air conditioning on to keep the windows from fogging up. Anxiety increases.

Doing all of these actions won't stop the rain or necessarily increase visibility nor offer much safety. So what is the safest 'action' we can do in times like these? We pull over and wait for the rain to stop or let up so we may safely resume our journey.

In our daily life when our mind becomes agitated, for what ever reason, or decision making or kind thinking becomes unclear so the best we can do is to non-do. We 'pull over' and let the storm of agitation pass.

So how do we 'pull over'? 

First we need to recognize we're even in a storm. We often know this because we get tense, loud perhaps, and angry within. When we recognize our agitation it is only then that we may begin the process of pulling over.

Stepping away from the situation or environment is an important non-doing we may take. Stepping away doesn't mean we are avoiding the situation. It means we recognize that we need some time to reflect and to let calmness in so our agitated mind may begin to settle. This non-doing is a sign of wisdom and compassion for our selves and for others.

From there we may find a location that is enveloped by solitude: a park, a lake, a parked car, or even a library. From there we may begin a more balanced mindful breathing and nurturing meditation. Allowing the mind to settle, allowing the mud to settle, allows for clear and balanced and kind thoughts. At first it may be hard, all types of scenarios surface in our mental playground but given non-doing they to move off and clarity begins to appear. 

Give yourself the time to love yourself. Allowing space and openness within cultivates calmness of the mind. And when calmness blossoms life is witnessed with beauty and joyful fulfillment.  

And with that my friends I wish you all peace and ease,

Vladimir

You are warmly invited to follow on us on Facebook and Instagram @bluelotuscenter for more way to improve your mindfulness practice and wellbeing.

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.

Website and monthly newsletter: www.bluelotusmeditation.us

For guided meditations and Dharma talks, please visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Facebook

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Realizations From A Walking Meditation

Taking Time To Enjoy Nature

Each day, weather permitting, I enjoy a mindful walk. Removing myself from the confines of my home offers me the mindful opportunity to strengthen the connection I have with the natural world we all are a part of. This connection is vital to maintaining a mindfulness practice. 

Observing the small changes that occur over the course of the day are sometimes hard to notice. Leaves on trees grow at a slow pace, animal tracks are hard to distinguish as well, the fragrance of blooming flowers can be hard to discern as well depending on the breeze. But every now and then there is a large enough change that is readily seen, even from a distance.

Today, I had the fortune to find this large feather. It's from a Turkey Vulture. They come to roost every night on some of the trees nearby. Looking this feather with openness and curiosity I begin to wonder where this feather has been? What has it seen while it was still attached to this magnificent birds wing while in flight? Or even what it has witnessed when it had landed doing the necessary function that a Turkey Vulture does for our ecosystem.

As I let my mind flow freely, I then let my thoughts move to what we need in order to function and what we can let go. What am I holding onto that I no longer need? 

Perhaps this feather was bothersome to this individual bird and as a result not able to soar has high and far as it was able and let this feather go. It clearly had no need of this feather any longer as I do not see a Turkey Vulture walking on the ground.

Concepts, notions, and ideas can hold us back from achieving what we are capable of doing or seeing the best in people. For example, when you say to yourself 'I am no good at that task'. You promoting the notion that you are incapable of learning or improving. Or the idea that people cannot change is very limiting and does not take into account the adaptability that any one individual possess. 

Greed, anger, jealousy, and ego are only some of the ailments that hold us back as well as each of these further perpetuates suffering of self and others. Each one of these ailments may be viewed as a smoldering coal from the previous night's campfire waiting to burst into flames for destruction.

When we are mindful of ourselves and surroundings we are opening up to what the world truly teaches. When we are observant we begin to understand that letting go is important if we want to soar. It relieves us of the unnecessary burden of attachment. Whereas holding on to what no longer serves us is the baggage that keeps us from flight. 

Here, in this wonderful example nature has given, the loss of a single feather, we can learn the importance of letting go of what does not serve us in growth, lovingkindness, compassion, and empathy.

What are some of the observations or realizations you have experienced on a walking meditation?

Feel free to comment below.

Wishing you peace and ease.

Vladimir

Blue Lotus Mindfulness and Meditation Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.