Walking; something everyone does daily. Often, with out trying, and with out much thought. We walk every where, at work, at school, grocery shopping, to a friends, to our cars, all around our home, everything we do includes walking. Walking should really be something we try to pay more attention to; be more mindful of. Its importance became aware to me recently in a place I wasn't expecting, and with out even trying.
I took a vacation to visit my sister who lives in the Chicago area. Much of my traveling these days requires flying. My trust of flying has been a journey. When I was younger I suffered from motion sickness; when flying I always made sure I had one of those bags readily available. I never had to use one but having it in sight helped.
At some point on my aerial path I started investigating ways to help my motion sickness subside. I am severely allergic to anything that prevents nausea, and/or motion sickness, so I cannot take those meds. Instead I started using ginger; ginger snaps, ginger candy, ginger ale, anything that had ginger in it, surprisingly, and happily, this worked; to this day I travel with all things ginger.
The biggest change I found, made, and still use, how ever, is breathing. I started just deep breathing to relieve tension, and ward off the nausea; over the years breathing turned into meditating during take off, and landing. Meditating while sitting on a plane is one of the few times I still now actually sit and meditate. This realization of how I felt I slacked off on meditation bothered me. I love meditating it brings me joy, peace and even-ness. Why did I seem to be avoiding something that gave me those feelings? Oh I could say its because I like misery, and don't like to put my self first, but the real reason is much simpler than that; like most people I am busy. I set about investigating how to remedy this.
Many things I read suggested re-arranging my schedule and making sitting meditation part of my daily routine. Well sounds good in theory, but in real life I'm sure many of you will agree how hard this can be. For those people who have the luxury of being able to sit for at least 20 minutes every day I send warm thoughts, and just a tad of jealousy, your way. Then I read something from one of Thich Nhat Hanh books, The Heart of the Buddha's Teachings.
When we practice walking meditation in a relaxed peaceful way it is the same. We step not just for ourselves but for the world. When we look at others, we see how their happiness, and suffering, are linked to our happiness and suffering. "Peace begins with me."
He goes on to explain that meditation is also a progression in the path of Buddhism. In the beginning most people will sit and meditate, and this is what the Buddha teaches should take place in the beginning. The Buddha put lessons in effect for people who are entering Buddhism. As a person reads more and more sutra's the level of Buddhism changes. So while it is important to find time to sit and meditate walking meditation is almost more important. It encourages us to get out into the world and be mindful to what is around us. To put into effect, and use, compassion. With that in mind I traveled.
http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books2/Thich_Nhat_Hanh_A_Guide_to_Walking_Meditation.htm
On the way to my destination mindful walking meditation encouraged me to take off my head phones and speak to people. I met an elderly man from Saginaw Michigan who recently found the restaurant Chik-Fil-A and was excited to know that there was a rumor that one might be opening up in Saginaw soon. When my sister and I traveled to northern Michigan we joked about wishing we had some to take to him. He also shared that he had a grand daughter in social work and a wife who didn't like to fly.
I spoke with a woman from Jamaica who had never seen autumn before and was looking forward to the leaves changing, she also shared the first time she saw snow in the moon light and how beautiful it was. She asked me which season Americans liked best fall or winter and I told I couldn't speak for everyone but my personal favorite was fall. She asked," because of thanksgiving?" And I said," no for the leaves changing color." She gave me a look of confusion and asked if I wasn't thankful? I shared that after living in New Mexico and having friends that are Native American celebrating that particular holiday wasn't really being thankful. She looked at me thoughtfully and said she hadn't thought about that.
I talked to everyone I had the chance to. Mostly small talk; the point being is that I choose to become very mindful to my surroundings and the people in them. I remember my grandmother who was mindful but how it caused her fear. She wouldn't talk to strangers and kept her eyes open to what she perceived as constant potential danger. I became compassionate to her; how sad that she missed the opportunity to meet people and miss the great story's of snow for the first time, a pride in a grand daughter and her career choice, which reminded me of the pride I use to have in social work when I first started doing it, before I became burnt out and disillusioned. The best path I crossed however was in the air port on the way home.
I was strolling slowly, after having eaten, continuing people watching, smiling at anyone and everyone who gave me eye contact. You'd be surprised how something as simple as a smile can help someone.
I got to my gate, found a seat, plugged in my head phones, and began to read, taking some time to myself. Looking up from time to time. One of these times I noticed a young man in a sailor uniform, then another, and another, and another. Soon the seating area at my gate was full of them and their family's. How nice that the airport allows these family's to see there sons, brothers, boyfriend's, husbands, dads off at the gates still. I took my head phones off, closed my book and sat, observed, listened. The desk person got on the intercom and announced a welcome to the navel personal that had just participated in graduation. We all clapped, and many of the young men, not one over the age of 24 blushed and smiled. I became mindful to the fact of how young these men were; how they were the ones called upon to defend all of us. At that exact moment a woman sat across form me, she had on a navel t-shirt and put a fuzzy, soft navel blanket over her lap. She smiled back at me, took out her phone, and began doing what ever it is that most of us do on our phones when we are not using them to talk to someone.
Periodically she looked up at some of the sailors and smiled. I was curious; wondering if she was perhaps an officer? She seemed to have a quiet confidence about her that I admired. Then a young girl in her teens sat down next to her while talking to someone on her phone. A daughter most obviously I thought, there was a resemblance to each other.
After a few minutes a young man, not old enough to drink alcohol, came up to them and the mom, I had already decided, looked at him with pride and love. I watched all three of them interact with each other for a bit. They laughed and joked with each other. Mom had a wedding ring on, where was dad I wondered? I asked where the young man was headed, mom replied," to Pensacola." While we briefly discussed what Florida was like, what airport he was flying into etc. the young man saw some friends and walked over to them. Mom became slightly distracted.
I watched the mom watch her son with a look of love and pride never faltering. Then I saw the look change and a tear came into the corner of her eye, her daughter noticed and became quieter and pretended not to notice her mom beginning to cry. The mom rooted around in her purse, keeping her head down, trying to hide her tears. I reached in to my bag, knowing that I had tissues on the top, grabbed one, and handed it to her, she smiled a thanks. I asked," is he your eldest?", she cleared her throat and replied," yes" also sharing that she had one daughter looking at the girl sitting and smiling at me next to her. I looked into the moms eyes and was suddenly filled with my own memory of the time my eldest left home, and the circumstances surrounding it; my heart went out to her. Then I remembered how wonderfully he's doing now many years later.
I looked at her and shared," I remember when my eldest left home, he'll be ok." She smiled thankfully at me. We shared a moment that woman, who's name I still don't know, and I. I know her sons name is Trey and watched him on the plane make room for a mom and her two small children. Patiently holding back the aisle traffic for her while she got herself, and her kids, settled into their seats. I watched him help her with her carry on, replying yes mam, no mam, can I help you mam. I thought that mom he left behind in the airport has a lot to be proud of. Good job. Perhaps some of his behavior came from his training with the Navy but I couldn't help but notice some of the other sailors didn't go out of their way as much as he did, and that was his moms doing.
The Pith of the Matter here is this. I realized that I do not need to try and sit and meditate daily in order to be mindful. To appreciate what is around me, to have opportunities, no matter how small, to be compassionate and kind. Getting out and engaging in walking meditation seems to be more beneficial. Walking meditation also ties into the 8 Fold Path and encourages us to use them all fully, where as sitting meditation, while definitely having its benefits, if used too much, and as the only source of meditation, can almost be selfish, not selfless, in nature.
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-eightfold-path-of-buddhism.html
Even if you do not subscribe to Buddhism choosing to be mindful, engaged, thoughtful, of your surroundings, and the people in them, with out the use of anger, fear, and judgment will bring anyone, and everyone unexpected joy. With out even trying that hard.
Peace out
Namaste
