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Walking Meditation Is Stopping
Meditation practice, first of all, is to stop our wandering in order to return to our spiritual homeland, where our roots, ancestors, parents, and happiness reside. Each stable step, each mindful breath, is a practice that brings us back to the here and now—the point of contact with peace and our true mind.
The story of Mr. Seguin’s goat and the tale of the millet porridge dream show that just a little delusion, a misstep, or a small incident can pull us away from our homeland; once we have wandered, if we meet the wolf (suffering, danger), the call to return may already be too late. Meditation practice is to recognize our habitual energies, to let go of fear and worries about the past and future, to awaken the one true aspiration—to return to our ancestors, to our true home.
Practice at Plum Village emphasizes meditation in every activity, especially walking meditation—walking while stopping, stopping while walking—coordinating breath and steps with the phrase “I have arrived, I am home”; this is simply a means to:
- eat in silence
- practice walking meditation
- engage in mindful work
-
sit in meditation
in order to end our wandering at any moment during seven days, ten days, or three months of practice, to be solid, free, and to touch nirvana directly in each moment of the present.
