In short: walking meditation is mindful walking: you walk slowly back and forth on a short path, paying attention to each step, and begin again when the mind wanders. The Buddha named five benefits of it in AN 5.29: you become fit for travel and for meditation, you stay healthy, your food digests well, and the stillness gained while walking lasts long.
Mendicants, there are five benefits of walking meditation. What five? You get fit for traveling, fit for striving in meditation, and healthy. What's eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted is properly digested. And immersion gained while walking lasts long.
AN 5.29, translated by Bhikkhu Sujato.
How to do walking meditation
- Choose a straight path of 10 to 20 steps, indoors or out.
- Stand still for a breath. Feel your feet on the ground.
- Walk slowly, noting the lift, move and place of each foot.
- At the end, stop, turn mindfully, and walk back.
- When the mind wanders, stop, notice, and begin again.
Ten minutes is a good start, and especially helpful after meals or when sitting feels too drowsy (see the five hindrances).
Read the full guide
The full text in Pāli and English
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral (AN5.29). Ellipses (…) are abbreviations in the original. Notes are ANEW's.
| Pāli | English |
|---|---|
| “Pañcime, bhikkhave, caṅkame ānisaṁsā. | “Mendicants, there are five benefits of walking meditation. |
| Katame pañca? | What five? |
| Addhānakkhamo hoti, padhānakkhamo hoti, appābādho hoti, asitaṁ pītaṁ khāyitaṁ sāyitaṁ sammā pariṇāmaṁ gacchati, caṅkamādhigato samādhi ciraṭṭhitiko hoti. | You get fit for traveling, fit for striving in meditation, and healthy. What’s eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted is properly digested. And immersion gained while walking lasts long. |
| Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca caṅkame ānisaṁsā”ti. | These are the five benefits of walking meditation.” |
| Navamaṁ. |
Try it with noting: "lifting, moving, placing".
Try it
Begin with a 3-minute practice, or make your teaching card for today.
Questions people ask
What are the benefits of walking meditation?
The Buddha lists five (AN 5.29): you become fit for travelling, fit for meditation, healthy; food is properly digested; and stillness gained while walking lasts long.
How long should walking meditation be?
Start with 10 minutes, walking slowly up and down a short path, attending to each step.