Meditation with eyes OPEN?

Suppose you're walking down the road after an exhausting day of work. Suppose you're on your way home and you remember something, unfinished work; negative news; pessimistic thought, etc. Suppose you're walking down the street with your group, and they are talking among themselves and you feel left out and awkward. What is common in all these scenarios? You losing your peace!

Now, many times, you're busy doing something and suddenly you feel that awkward and uncomfortable feel kicking in, like, you're in a court and being judged by everyone else, when all you did was minding your own business. Yeah, that happens to a lot of us.

So, is there something you can do to find the lost inner peace in you? Obviously, you cannot just stop anything you're doing, sit down, close your eyes, and try to meditate. And even if one could do that, some of us just can't focus on something and try to meditate all while trying to remove the negative thoughts from our mind. I mean what will I think of after closing my eyes? A donut? A one-liner by Chandler? A TV show that I didn't complete? A relationship from which I couldn't move on? Unfinished work? Sadness? Wait a moment. Is it just me or do you realize where this is going? But didn't I close my eyes and stop everything else to meditate and be at peace? Ah, I feel like it's all going in the opposite direction.

Okay, I'm not saying that one can't meditate. Maybe one can. But I think it's not that easy, as the steps make it to be. So, what should one do, if they want to regain their peace and cool? Well, think of something you like. It may be a dish, some awesome anime theme, someone you love. It can be anything as long as you love it. Then, try to think that you're doing your favorite activity with that thing you like. It may be eating choco-flavored ice-cream; listening to your favorite song; cuddling with your significant other.

Trust me, it works. And, it works like a charm. And I'm saying it from a lot of personal experiences.

So, what do I do when I'm feeling low, while I'm walking? I plug in my earphones, go to my favorite playlist, and play some awesome themes. (My favorite go-to theme is L's ideology.)

I mean, just thinking about that theme makes me a cooler person (at least in my perspective :) And from my own experiences I can assure you that this does work. No need to sit down and close your eyes. Just feel the thing that resonates within you. For some people, it's music. For others, it might be something else. Just feel it within you and things will be okay.

What we just talked about is known as "walking meditation". However, walking meditation can also be done in the following steps:

1. Find a nice location. The place you choose can be anywhere, but it should give you a relaxing vibe. Places with greenery like gardens work best.

2. Start walking. You can walk at any pace you feel comfortable with.

3. Think about what you're doing (this might feel awkward for some!). Like lifting your foot, watching it swing forward, and completing a step.

4. Keep your posture as natural as possible i.e. the one you're most comfortable with.

This is just the literal meaning of walking meditation. You can try any way you're comfortable with.

Walking meditation is designed to bring the mind and body in sync while we are out. It is simply mindful walking. And if you can't close your eyes and sit down to meditate, this is a nice way to achieve that goal.

I hope this helps you to maintain that sync. Note that there are different meanings of walking meditation, but the ultimate goal is to achieve that sync and peace within you.

Happy walking. Happy meditating!!

(Photo credits: Tegan Mierle; on Unsplash)