The emotional torment one experiences when struggling with attachment issues can be overwhelming. I remember one night vividly—I had just been ghosted, and the pain I felt in those moments was absolutely horrendous. It became unbearable, and late that evening, I decided to head out, walking through the quiet streets. Having already done a lot of meditation practice, I naturally found myself dropping into the depths of all that pain, breathing softly and deeply as I walked. But something felt different this time. As I continued walking at a gradual pace, breathing into the depths of those overwhelming emotions, I noticed the pain wasn’t quite as intense. There was something about the bilateral movement of walking through the near-empty streets of the Brookside section of Kansas City and breathing into those emotions that made the experience more bearable.

As I continued going out for evening walks, I found myself dropping ever deeper into the full range of emotions that were surfacing. I couldn’t help but notice how emotions that normally stayed bottled up would make their way to the surface more readily during these walks. I could feel my aura—the electromagnetic field that surrounds the body—extending further outward, with all the sadness, grief, feelings of loss, and other emotions circulating through my field. At the same time, I could sense the presence of the Earth itself helping to soften the intensity of those emotions, making them far more bearable.

As my practice continued to deepen, simply breathing and fully immersing myself in the depths of any feelings or sensations that arose, I often found myself walking for miles on end. During these walks, I would enter profound trancelike states. On several occasions, I ran into people I knew. Twice, I encountered couples I was familiar with, and one of them would look at me and say, “Your eyes are glowing,” before turning to their companion to ask, “You see that, don’t you?”—as if to confirm they weren’t just imagining it.

Not too long afterward, I moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. It wasn’t all that safe to go walking through the neighborhood I lived in during the evening hours, but I would often head out to walk the trails that wound through the strip of cottonwood forest along the Rio Grande. At other times, I’d walk for miles along the dirt roads running next to the irrigation ditches

Still carrying the traumas of my childhood and adolescence—wounds I found myself reenacting in my attempts to form intimate relationships—walking meditation made it all feel more bearable. It helped to diffuse the intensity of the grief, sadness, feelings of loss, and loneliness when relationships weren’t working out as I’d hoped. As I continued to cycle through the many layers of emotion, I could feel a comforting presence, one that seemed to arise both from within me and from the Earth itself, sustaining me on a much deeper level.

The emotions that arise during times of distress—losing a job and not knowing how you’re going to survive financially, going through a breakup or divorce, being ghosted, or experiencing the death of a loved one—can be especially painful. Not only that, but such intense emotions can also take a significant toll on our bodies. Walking meditation can be particularly helpful during those times when we’re feeling overwhelmed.

It’s best to walk on a quiet street, in a park, on a dirt road, or along nature trails. Be mindful of your surroundings and prioritize safety. As a man, I often go out walking alone at night, but I realize that’s probably not the safest option for a woman.

When I introduce people to the walking meditation, I usually have them begin by stopping, closing their eyes, and noticing any feelings or sensations in their body. I guide them to breathe into whatever they’re feeling in that moment. After a few minutes, I have them open their eyes and continue breathing into those feelings. Then, I’ll have them begin walking at a gradual pace, breathing softly and deeply while centering their awareness on the feelings and sensations, continuing to follow them as they go through their progression.

The primary focus during walking meditation is on the feelings and sensations that arise in your body. Your breath is secondary. It’s also important to walk at a gradual pace, which helps you stay connected to what you’re feeling. The combination of focusing on feelings and sensations, slow rhythmic breathing, and walking at a gradual pace encourages more emotions and sensations to surface while facilitating the processing of whatever arises.

As you walk, the rhythmic bilateral motion engages both hemispheres of the brain, encouraging communication and promoting a sense of balance. It encourages emotional processing, diffuses overwhelming feelings, and grounds you more fully in the present moment. Walking also activates the parasympathetic nervous system—the part responsible for rest and relaxation—helping to lower stress levels and create calm.

Walking meditation not only facilitates emotional healing but also brings about significant physical benefits. The gentle, rhythmic movement improves circulation, delivering fresh oxygen and nutrients to your tissues while helping to release built-up tension in the muscles. As you walk and breathe mindfully, your body begins to relax, and the nervous system shifts into a state of balance, making it easier to decompress and feel a growing sense of ease. Over time, this practice can help you sleep better, as your body and mind become more attuned to a natural state of rest and restoration.

Some people who find it difficult to sit while meditating tell me they much prefer walking meditation. It’s critical for those of us with histories of trauma—or those who struggle with anxiety, depression, or insecure attachment—to carve out time, especially when we’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Walking meditation has a deeply grounding and stabilizing effect, allowing us to diffuse painful and overwhelming emotions, making them far more manageable. It helps us feel more at ease, more comfortable in our own bodies and surroundings, and places us in a more resourceful space where we’re better equipped to navigate life’s challenges.

Walking meditation is especially helpful after receiving deep tissue bodywork or other therapeutic interventions that bring strong emotions to the surface. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by these emotions, walking meditation enables you to process them more comfortably.

One of my favorite times to do walking meditation is after coming down from a vision quest, a traditional Native American practice that involves fasting alone in the mountains for four days and nights without food or water. In the days after coming down from the mountain, my senses are so heightened. I feel more deeply connected to the Earth, the trees, other vegetation, and the animals

Mindful walking has been a central practice in many spiritual traditions for thousands of years. In Buddhism, walking meditation plays a prominent role, particularly in Theravāda, and Zen traditions, as a way to cultivate mindfulness. Similarly, other versions of walking meditation have been practiced in Hindu-Vedic, Shinto, and Sufi traditions, often as a means of connecting with the divine or cultivating inner stillness. In Taoism, walking in nature is seen as a way to attune oneself to the rhythms of life, with specific Taoist practices designed to build chi, the body’s life force, while promoting harmony and vitality.

During some of the most challenging times in my late twenties and early thirties—when I was struggling with the traumas of my past, and my adult relationships became a painful series of reenactments, leaving me to deal with all the emotional fallout—I was going out to do walking meditation nearly every day, evening and sometimes at night, depending on my work schedule. Walking meditation got me through the worst of it, helping me to maintain my sanity. I felt calmer, more grounded, and slowly found my way to a better space. If you’re going through a lot of difficulty or feeling overwhelmed, I encourage you to make the time for it as well. The more time you devote to this practice, and the more consistent you are, the greater the results you’ll experience.

Walking meditation can be challenging in densely populated urban environments, depending on the city you’re living in. For example, walking through Midtown Manhattan can feel chaotic and overstimulating. Conversely, parts of Washington D.C. and Kansas City, which are less densely populated and more spread out, tend to feel more relaxed. Walking meditation becomes considerably more powerful in natural settings—on dirt roads, hiking trails, in forests, deserts, mountains, or near the ocean. Planet Earth has its own electromagnetic field, and this presence feels stronger and cleaner in these environments. If you’re highly sensitive, when you’re able to practice walking meditation in nature, you can feel the Earth itself helping to cleanse your body and mind while diffusing any distressing emotions.

As with any form of meditation, it’s natural for your mind to wander at times. The key is to gently bring your attention back as soon as you notice—focusing on any feelings, bodily sensations, or relevant issues and concerns that need to be addressed. If you’re struggling with intrusive thoughts, bring as much awareness as possible to them, along with any underlying feelings and bodily sensations. By processing the underlying charged emotions, those thoughts lose their intensity. Personally, I find it much easier to maintain focus during walking meditation compared to sitting, as the movement helps anchor my awareness.

Some people may initially find it challenging to access and stay connected to their feelings and bodily sensations while walking. However, with continued practice, it becomes much easier to tune in and work through those feelings and sensations, building a stronger connection and a deeper capacity for emotional processing over time. Another tremendous advantage of walking meditation is that it teaches you to stay connected to your feelings and physical body, along with all its sensations, in the midst of whatever you’re doing.

Walking meditation not only helps you to calm down and become more comfortably present in your body, but it also enhances your ability to connect with others, making you more relatable and even more attractive. By accessing a calmer, more resourceful state, you become better equipped to navigate the challenges of daily life with greater ease and resilience.

Walking meditation is just one of the powerful meditation practices I teach—each designed to awaken your body and mind's innate healing intelligence. Ready to take your mindfulness journey to the next level? Click the link to call or message me today to learn more or schedule an individual session. Let’s explore what’s possible together!