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Benefits of Walking Meditation

It is scientifically proven that exercise helps to lower blood-sugar levels. Since meditation likewise helps, walking meditation is an excellent combination of both activities.

Walking meditation is one of the practices adopted by the Buddhist tradition. It is a form of meditation in action whereby the practitioner is to be consciously mindful and keep his awareness involved with the experience of walking. It’s an easier and more comfortable form of meditation for beginners or anyone who prefers a more active form of practice.

A preliminary study conducted by Thai and U.S. research institutes found that walking meditation indeed helps to lower blood-glucose levels. In 2015, several scholars from Thai and U.S. research institutions collaborated to design an experiment. The investigators divided 27 patients with type 2 diabetes into two groups: 14 in the experimental group received walking-meditation training and 13 in the control group did standard walking exercises. After the three-month experiment, glycated hemoglobin associated with long-term blood-glucose levels remained unchanged at six percent in the control group, but decreased from six percent to 5.4 percent in the experimental group.

Other similar experiments carried out over the years have concluded that walking meditation can produce a series of positive effects, often surpassing standard walking activity, in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Whether it is a sitting meditation or a walking meditation, both produce a significant effect with regard to lowering blood-sugar levels. Spending some time practicing meditation daily can help reduce the risk of diabetes or keep it under better control.