On a long silent meditation retreat, all we do is sitting meditation alternating with walking meditation, from 5 am until 10 pm. There is mindful eating at meals, a one-hour work period, and a nightly dharma talk, but pretty much all we do is practice while sitting and walking. Over the 10 retreats I’ve done, I’ve learned a lot about how I think and what my mind is doing 24/7. I have also become even more grateful to know the Alexander Technique, which enables me to sit and walk with no pain in my back or neck.  At the end of the retreat, when silence ends and we can talk with each other, I often hear from people who really struggle with discomfort in these and other body parts.

During walking meditation -- 4 or 5 times a day for 30 to 45 minutes -- I am aware of so much about how the balance of the head on the spine integrates with the coordination of the hips, knees, ankles, and feet, and how the whole back can be free and easy as we move.  Walking doesn't have to wear us down.  Our ability to move upright on two legs is a miracle of evolution that we take for granted.  What you can see and sense when you're right up on top of yourself is what connects you to the world around you -- and the universe inside, too. 

If you have lower back pain, for instance, you might think that walking is off limits, or will make the problem worse, but the opposite is true. Regular walking, done properly, actually heals low back pain, as this study revealed. Walking is just as effective in healing lower back pain as the specialized stretching exercises routinely assigned by physical therapists. Among the many benefits of a regular walking routine, getting rid of that nagging back pain might rank pretty high on the list of motivations to get out there and walk. 

The key, however, is how you walk.  If you walk inefficiently, you might reduce your back pain but end up with a knee or foot problem. Alexander Technique teaches how to recover that wonderful evolutionary miracle and walk well.  Walking the Alexander way brings pleasure and power to our experience. Walking is one of four basic daily positions we find ourselves in, and the AT helps with all of them.

I hope you'll join me for Walking with Freedom and Ease, the upcoming Alexander clinic.  Here's a one-minute video example of the kind of tips I'll be sharing, courtesy of my colleague Leland Vall.  Try this out for yourself and see what happens. Then check out the walking clinic and join me for a fun and fascinating walk away from pain and into joy.