The Power of Walking Meditation

Meditation has ancient roots, dating back as far as 200,000 years. The earliest written records of meditation are in the Vedas, the sacred texts of the Hindu religion, from around 1500 BCE. These teachings of dhyana, or training of the mind, were centered on concepts of deep contemplation and awareness without judgment. Other references to a type of meditation practiced around 1000 BCE appear in the Torah, and other types were recorded in Taoist China and Buddhist India around 600 and 40 BCE, respectively. The practice of meditation, though, was not limited to major religions. It, too, has deep roots within many tribal ancestors’ cultures and traditions — for those seeking wisdom, guidance, spiritual healing, wellness, and interconnectedness to the natural world.  

Early meditation may have been an attempt by people to have a deeper understanding of mystical, sacred, and religious forces, and to connect to something larger than themselves. While people can certainly turn to meditation for the same things in our modern world, meditation nowadays is often used to manage stress, improve relaxation, and connect with the inner self. 

However, to define precisely what meditation is exactly can be challenging. Broadly speaking, it is a way to help us become more aware of how our mind is connected to our thoughts and feelings. That said, many people may have misconceptions about practicing meditation. For example, some may assume that meditation must be done in complete silence or that you must be seated in a particular position or spend hours clearing your mind. Because of these and other misconceptions, people may shy away from meditation for fear of doing it “wrong”, not having the time, or it not being convenient. The truth is, there are many creative and practical ways to practice meditation, and it’s something that anyone can do. In fact, one of the simplest and most accessible ways to do it is walking meditation, also known as meditative walking or mindful walking. 

What is Walking Meditation (also called Meditative Walking or Mindful Walking)?

Most of the time, we walk on autopilot, and often not alone, letting our minds wander about our to-do lists or worrying about the future —intrusive thoughts that pull us away from the present moment. Walking meditation involves recentering our focus, appreciating our bodies and the things around us, redirecting our thoughts to the present moment, and allowing thoughts to naturally calm in intensity and frequency. In different forms, the practice is common in various traditions of both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism.  

In traditional meditation, you often focus on breathing and other internal spaces; in walking meditation, you focus on the rhythm of your gait and being present to the natural outside world. Walking meditation is about focusing on how your body feels and moves and what is happening around you. One of the best things about it is you can do it anywhere you have space to walk. For example, when taking a meditative walk in the city, there are things all around you to focus on. You may see passing cars, smell aromas from a food truck, hear music playing, and feel the bottoms of your feet against the hard concrete sidewalk. If you’re walking through a park or on a trail, you may see leaves falling from trees, smell flowers, hear birds, and feel the wind on your face. If you can’t get outside, you can even do walking meditation walking in your home, noticing the art on the walls, the floors creaking below your feet, and the smell of dinner in the oven.   

What matters is not where you are but that you focus on the present and are aware of your body and the sights and sounds around you. Engaging all your senses in this way allows for not only reflection, purpose, awareness, and a deeper connection to the self and the energy that surrounds you but is also a holistic and natural approach to reset and restore the mind and body balance. 

Health Benefits of Walking Meditation

Walking meditation, like all forms of meditation and mindfulness, plays an important part in restorative health and can be a powerful tool for managing mental, physical, and emotional health. Below are some of the benefits: 

Reduces stress 

Even a single meditative walk can benefit mental and emotional health. One study found that a single bout of mindful walking improved anxiety and stress among college students. This study also determined that meditative walking can increase motivation and confidence.  

Improves physical health 

This same study of college students determined that a daily meditative walk that lasts about 35 minutes adds about 1,700 steps to one’s daily step count, increasing overall physical activity and decreasing sedentary behavior. 

Improves sleep quality 

Meditative walking outdoors, whether in Nature or urban settings, can positively impact sleep. Researchers found that meditative walking in either environment improves sleep quality as well as mood and mindfulness. 

Supports brain health 

Meditative walking may support brain health, particularly in older adults. One study found that participating in a one-month mindful walking program of two 30-minute sessions a week led to short-term improvements with cognition and processing speed (i.e., how quickly and efficiently our brain receives and interprets information) and long-term improvements in executive function (i.e., the mental processes that allow our brain to plan, organize, and execute) and processing speed in older adults.  

Wiseman Health Take-Home Points 

1. Keep it simple – the act of walking in silence is inherently mindful and meditative. Meditative walking works best in silence and without external device distractions like earphones or a phone. It can be done with others depending on individual preference, but it is often best when done alone. Though it’s best practice to do this in the most natural and quietest external environment (i.e.: a quiet park or wooded trail for example), any environment can work. Allowing your mind to naturally wander while walking alone is one of life’s greatest treasures and one of the greatest natural psychological reset buttons that we have
   
2. Go deeper – while traditional sitting meditation may focus more on breath and mindful breathing, and while breath is certainly something you can incorporate into meditative walking, the purpose of this kind of meditation is centered more on action -the rhythm and pace of your gait as you walk along with being present with your surroundings. Walking meditation is about using your senses to observe, acknowledge, and process your surroundings. Like more traditional meditation you can go deeper into the focus of the action of walking – for instance check your posture and notice how your arms and legs move, the steps you take, how quickly or slowly you are walking, and how your feet connect with the ground. The mind focuses on this activity, which in turn initiates meditation in movement. Engage your senses to the outside world. Look, listen, and feel what is happening in Nature — the wind blowing, the sounds of birds and insects, the ambient temperature, the warmth of the sun — and how other people are interacting with the environment around them. These outward observations soon become internal thoughts that tap into a greater sense of awareness within your conscious and subconscious mind. If you find that focusing too much makes your mind wander, simply go back to observing the rhythm and pace of your feet as they move. You could also choose to focus on one sensory experience, concentrating on positive thoughts and feelings. The options of focus are limitless.
   
3. Practicing walking meditation can be as short and simple as taking a quick mindful walk to your mailbox or even inside your house. If you find you are sitting for long periods of time, break up the inactivity with meditative action like a focused walk around your office, down the street, from your car to the store, or even a short walk down a hallway. These baby steps, quite literally, are the foundation for longer meditative walks, perhaps in a park setting or an urban whether 10 minutes or 30 minutes, there is no set limit on when and where the practice of meditative walking can take place
   
4. Meditation is a powerful way to cultivate humility, gratitude, and an understanding that there is an interconnectedness to everything around us. Mindful walking allows you to tap into this greater sense of purpose and mystery with the things around you in an easy and convenient way every day
   
5. To learn more about meditation and mindfulness, read our Wieman Health article, Meditation: The Mind & Body Benefits   

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on July 29, 2025