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Dharma Talk – Prajñā, The Fourfold Sangha (1)
Walking meditation is a wonderful method that helps us live deeply in the present moment, different from walking like a sleepwalker, automatically driven by our habits (neuro pathways). When practicing walking meditation, with each step, we place our mind right on that step, we are truly present to touch the wonders of life—flowers, air, sunshine, rain—and by doing so, we are nourished and healed, no longer hurried and restless as in our daily life. Mindfulness (sati) is the energy that helps us recognize when negative habits arise, and thanks to mindfulness, concentration, and insight, we can let go of anger, craving, and tension, so we do not fall into the old cycle.
When walking meditation with the sangha, each person can adjust their pace to suit themselves, for example, two steps breathing in—two steps breathing out, or three steps according to their capacity. Thay suggests four principles to make good habits with each step:
- Each step is life itself
- Each step is a miracle
- Each step is healing
- Each step is freedom
Practicing mindful breathing in harmony with each step will transform walking meditation into a path of enlightenment, bringing peace and helping to transform negative habits into wholesome ones.
