By Kees Lodder
Walking meditation with our 16-month-old son Jeremy has a totally different meaning since I returned from Plum Village. He mostly doesn’t want to be carried anymore and he definitely doesn’t want to hold my hand. He puts his hands immediately behind his back when I offer mine and says, “uhm,” which means no. This would not be such a problem if a) he would walk on the road or path and b) if he went in one direction.
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By Kees Lodder
Walking meditation with our 16-month-old son Jeremy has a totally different meaning since I returned from Plum Village. He mostly doesn't want to be carried anymore and he definitely doesn't want to hold my hand. He puts his hands immediately behind his back when I offer mine and says, "uhm," which means no. This would not be such a problem if a) he would walk on the road or path and b) if he went in one direction. He does neither. So I have created-or better, Jeremy has created for me—the practice of aimless walking meditation. I realize that he is teaching me a far more advanced practice than simple walking meditation. We spend at least an hour a day practicing aimless walking and non-walking. Jeremy often sits down wherever he likes. Sitting when you feel like it is also a very advanced practice, of course. From the start Jeremy enjoyed all this tremendously. Because I'm not as developed, it took me a few days to grasp the full potential of the practice. Now I find aimless walking with Jeremy enormously relaxing.
Kees Lodder, True Great Gathering, and Jeremy walk in Auckland, New Zealand, where they practice with the Long White Cloud Sangha.
