Posture/Walking (caṅkama)
Posture/Walking (caṅkama)
4. “When we have a retreat work period that requires us to leave a sitting after 15 or 30 minutes, should we come to the meditation hall and leave early or just practice elsewhere for that period?” [Meditation retreats] [Work] // [Abhayagiri] [Posture/Walking] [Posture/Sitting]
Story: A good doorknob. [Building projects]
1. Teaching: The role of walking meditation. [Posture/Walking] [Ajahn Chah] // [Thai Forest Tradition] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Shelter] [Sloth and torpor]
Quote: Ajahn Chah admonishes the monks: "I've looked at the huts in the forest where you monks live. I see the walking meditation paths, and I don't see human tracks. All I see are dog tracks!" [Posture/Walking] [Fierce/direct teaching]
2. Walking meditation instructions by Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Pasanno. [Posture/Walking] [Ajahn Chah] // [Buddho mantra] [Tranquility] [Continuity of mindfulness]
Reference: Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, p. 258 "Just Do It!"
Quote: “Where we really start to see the Dhamma or taste the Dhamma is in that continuity of awareness.” [Dhamma]
1. Guided meditation: Resolve right now is the time for training the mind and nothing else. From "The Key to Liberation" by Ajahn Chah. [Calming meditation] [Proliferation] [Determination] [Ajahn Chah] // [Mindfulness] [Discernment] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Body scanning] [Relinquishment] [One pointedness] [Restlessness and worry] [Concentration] [Present moment awareness] [Clear comprehension] [Impermanence] [Continuity of mindfulness] [Sense restraint]
Quote: “Sitting and walking meditation are in essence the same, differing only in the posture used.” [Posture/Sitting] [Posture/Walking]
Simile: Chicken in a coop. [Similes]
Simile: Mindfulness, clear comprehension, and wisdom are like three workers lifting heavy planks.
1. Guided meditation: The rythym of the sensation of the body as it is walking. [Posture/Walking] [Mindfulness of body] [Ajahn Chah] // [Calming meditation] [Present moment awareness] [Proliferation] [Tranquility] [Investigation of states]
6. “Could you tell of your personal experience with a tiger?” [Ajahn Pasanno] [Animal] [Tudong]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno hears and smells a tiger while doing walking meditation. [Dtao Dum] [Culture/Natural environment] [Posture/Walking] [Fear] [Death] [Impermanence] [Mindfulness] [Clear comprehension]
Sutta: MN 4: Fear and Dread
16. Meditation instructions: Walking meditation. [Posture/Walking] // [Abhayagiri]
5. Meditation instruction: Walking meditation instructions. [Posture/Walking] [Spiritual friendship] // [Continuity of mindfulness] [Tranquility]
9. “How can one work with feeling the element of water in sitting or walking meditation?” [Elements] [Posture/Sitting] [Posture/Walking]
5. “How does one work with dullness and drowsiness in sitting meditation?” [Sloth and torpor] [Posture/Sitting] // [Hindrances] [Ajahn Buddhadāsa] [Ajahn Chah] [Posture/Walking] [Culture/Natural environment] [Posture/Standing] [Continuity of mindfulness]
Sutta: AN 7.58 Capala Sutta: "Are you nodding, Moggallana?" [Great disciples]
Story: Ajahn Pasanno walks in the forest without a flashlight to dispel drowsiness. [Ajahn Pasanno] [Dtao Dum] [Devotion to wakefulness]
8. Story: Ajahn Toon tries to disrobe repeatedly, but Ajahn Chah won't let him. [Ajahn Chah] [Ajahn Toon] [Disrobing] [Thai Forest Tradition] // [Patience] [Three Refuges] [Ajahn Tongrat] [Posture/Walking] [Gratitude] [Respect]
3. “Is walking meditation as “good” as sitting meditation. Can one achieve the level of undistractedness that one needs to be able to investigate the human experience? Or is it part of the bigger picture of mindfulness / or seven full days to experience stream entry?” [Posture/Walking] [Posture/Sitting] [Insight meditation] [Stream entry]
6. “It appears that walking is far more comfortable than sitting these days, but I have never found it to be that settling for my mind. Please offer some advice on how to get “the most” out of walking meditation.” [Posture/Walking]
13. “This is a comment to say thank you to the whole Sangha, really, for your interest in practice. We were doing walking meditation and there was such a contrast between the cars driving through and the walking practice. Usually, I feel more alone in practice. It feels so good not to be the odd one out. You guys almost made me cry with sweeping the walking paths yesterday. Thank you Sangha.” [Gratitude] [Posture/Walking] [Spiritual friendship]
15. “My body does not physically handle sitting or stationary positions for long periods of time. I would like to do more walking meditation. Walking has a lot more distractions. Can you give some specifics on where to put my focus? Rise and fall of breath, feet, skeleton moving? Where to look, etc. Is it possible to achieve the same level of calmness, concentration and insights when the body is moving and you cannot close the eyes or keep focus on one spot?” [Posture/Walking] [Proliferation] [Calming meditation] [Insight meditation]
5. “Can jhana occur in walking meditation?” [Jhāna] [Posture/Walking] // [Concentration] [Ajahn Viradhammo]
Sutta: AN 5.29: Walking Meditatation.
9. Comment: I was inspired by a picture of the Buddha's walking path. [Buddha] [Posture/Walking] [Faith] [Visiting holy sites]
Response by Ajahn Pasanno.
4. “Does jhāna arise only in seated meditation?” [Posture/Sitting] [Jhāna]
Reference: Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah, p. 332: Ajahn Chah talks about developing jhāna factors in walking meditation. [Ajahn Chah] [Posture/Walking]
8. “I practice the brahmavihāras, and not just on the cushion. How do these relate to jhāna?” [Divine Abidings] [Posture/Sitting] [Posture/Walking] [Jhāna] // [Continuity of mindfulness] [Skillful qualities]
Quote: “You can sit on your cushion for a long time. Chickens sit for a long time, and they don't get enlightened!” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Liberation] [Animal]
6. “Can you suggest some ways of approaching walking meditation that you have found fruitful? Do the themes of anapanasati apply, for example? Is this an adaptable, useful structure?” [Posture/Walking] [Mindfulness of breathing]
18. “Did the Buddha give instructions for walking meditation?” [Posture/Walking]