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Walking Meditation Question

Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 8:17 pm
by Nosta
On walking meditation one is advised to be concentrated on the 3 phases of walking: observing the raise of the feet, the pushing forwared movement and the pressing feeling when touching the ground. Later one must learn to do the same but getting attention to 6 phases instead of 3. Now, my question is: should you do that always concentrated on the same foot or do you alternate your attention to the feet?
For example, should i get attention to:
1) raise, push, press, raise, push, press, raise...always on one of the feet (for example, always the left foot).

OR

2) raise [attention on Right foot], push [R], press [R], raise [attention on Left foot], push [L], press [L], raise [R], and so on...

?

Wich one is the most adbisable way? In the books that i read that point is not very clear.

Thanks for the anwer!

PS: Sorry if this is a Theravadan tradition, but i hope that some of the people are able to answer it. :)
:namaste:

Re: Walking Meditation Question

Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 8:26 pm
by DGA
Each foot individually.

General advice for walking meditation: try to practice with others if you can.

Re: Walking Meditation Question

Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 8:36 pm
by Mr. G
Hi Nosta,

I was taught version #2 that you listed from a monk trained in the Mahasi style of vipassana.

Re: Walking Meditation Question

Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 8:42 pm
by Nosta
Thanks for your useful answer :).

Do you think that the second style on my list is harder or easier than the first? At first glance, when i think of it, it seems more easy to get attention only in one foot [style 1 on my list], but if you were teached to the with both feet [style 2], thats probably because its better. Masters woudnt teach something inferior. Even so, i wonder why they prefer style 2.

By the way, whats the main different between Mahasi style and others?

Thanks a lot again. :)

Re: Walking Meditation Question

Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 8:51 pm
by Mr. G
Nosta wrote:Thanks for your useful answer :).

Do you think that the second style on my list is harder or easier than the first? At first glance, when i think of it, it seems more easy to get attention only in one foot [style 1 on my list], but if you were teached to the with both feet [style 2], thats probably because its better. Masters woudnt teach something inferior. Even so, i wonder why they prefer style 2.

By the way, whats the main different between Mahasi style and others?

Thanks a lot again. :)
Personally, I don't see much difficulty in version 2 as I think it doesn't take much additional effort by focusing on both feet. However that said, version 1 is not wrong either. If a teacher assigns one to concentrate on one foot at a time before focusing on both feet, I see no issue. This may be dependent upon how much focus the pracititioner learning lacks.

In terms of other styles besides Mahasi, I wouldn't know as I've only read about other styles of vipassana like Goenka's body scanning, or just focusing on the feeling of the breath leaving and entering through the nose.

Re: Walking Meditation Question

Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 11:25 pm
by Nosta
I think that my questions were answered.

Thank you very much for your kind attention.

:namaste: