Zen walking meditation, or ‘kinhin’, was developed as a way to take a break from sitting meditation, but it works well in its own right. If you have to walk a short distance every day, say to the train, to the shops or around campus, use kinhin as a starting point for developing your own meditation method. You probably don’t want to draw attention to yourself, so you can adapt kinhin for ordinary walking.

Kinhin

1. Stand with feet hip width apart. Shake out your body. Make sure your back is straight and your chin is tucked in. Start to pay attention to your breathing.
2. Make a relaxed fist with your left hand and put it over your heart. Cup it with your right hand. Let your elbows drop down and your shoulders relax. Keep breathing.
3. Look down to the ground just in front of you. Relax your gaze.
4. While inhaling, slowly lift your left foot, heel first. Peel it off the ground and take one small step,
5. Exhaling, press your left foot down slowly, heel first. Do the same sequence with your right foot. Pay attention to every movement you make and keep your breathing in sync with your footsteps.

Some Variations

Try taking longer steps, maintaining synchronous breathing and stepping. Pay attention to every part of your body, keeping loose and relaxed. Notice your knees, your hips, joints, the way your arms move, the shift of weight from right to left, the feeling of air moving past your body.