Special Topics
Enjoy One Step at a Time
Living in today's fast-paced society, we hurry to work or to meetings every day. We are always on the move to arrive somewhere. Though our legs are moving, we are not aware of it; we do not focus on our steps. In addition, whether we are walking leisurely or taking strides for good health, we usually focus on whatever catches our eye, and are immersed in thoughts, music, or talks. Walking with such a divided mind can scarcely help to improve health and generate relaxation. So, what exactl...
Being Mindful of Where We Are: The Practice of Walking Meditation in Daily Life
When using the method of walking meditation, we neither intentionally speed up nor slow down. Instead, we walk at the same speed as we normally would, while trying to be aware of the movements without harboring wandering thoughts and ideas. As we are walking, we effortlessly lift and lower our feet, irrespective of the distance travelled. Throughout the process, we keep our steps of equal length and speed. There is no need to think about the distance or duration of the walk. Instead,...
Practice Walking Meditation to Experience Chan in Motion
Can walking be a method of Buddhist practice? When one thinks of Buddhist practice, what often comes to mind is either sitting meditation or reciting the Buddha's name. In fact, Buddhist practice is more than sitting on a cushion; walking can also be a good way to enter the gate of practice. Over 2,600 years ago, the Buddha guided his disciples to practice walking meditation—a method of practice that incorporates walking in the forest or along a pathway to constantly rein in and col...
Slow Walking Meditation
Practitioners normally perform walking meditation between sitting sessions during a retreat, in limited-sized spaces. Alternating practicing sitting and walking meditation helps us harmonize the body and mind. If we feel tired after meals or drowsy during the sitting, we can improve our digestion or keep ourselves awake by standing up and performing walking meditation. Depending on the tempo and function, you can either do slow or fast walking meditation. Slow walking med...
Fast Walking Meditation
Fast walking meditation, also known as pao-xiang (跑香) in Chinese, is a practice method unique to the Chinese Chan tradition, which is not taught in other traditions such as Theravada, Tibetan and Japanese Buddhism. In this method, practitioners walk quickly in clockwise direction around a circle, starting with a normal speed, and then gradually speeding up. This approach requires practitioners to remain mindful of nothing but the idea of walking fast. Doing so helps us get rid of wandering ...
Buddhist Circumambulation (Walking Meditation and Buddha Name Recitation)
Circumambulation, originating in early Buddhism, was the ritual of circling around the Buddha to express respect. After Buddhism was introduced to China, Buddhists continued the tradition of circumambulating the Buddha's statue or a stupa, and is now being widely integrated into Buddhist practice and Dharma assemblies within Chinese Buddhism. The Circumambulation that commonly occurs in the Seven-day Amitabha Recitation Retreat is also known as "Walking Meditation and Buddha...
Pilgrimage
To go on a pilgrimage is to visit, and pay homage to, sacred sites or holy relics of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas. This practice method takes after ancient masters' journeys to seek Dharma or worship holy sites. Through pilgrimage, we cultivate our faith in practicing the Bodhisattva's path. While performing "three steps and one prostration", we recite a Buddha or Bodhisattva's name, prostrate, and repent sincerely. In this way, we lessen our arrogance and harmonize our body ...