How To Walk, by Thích Nhất Hạnh, is an introduction to walking meditation.
I’ve read other books by this Vietnamese monk and teacher, and I have taken some classes in walking meditation, so I knew that reading How To Walk would bring me joy.
It’s a short book. The copy I downloaded from the library is just 98 ePages long, with the text taking up only half of each page, or less. Some pages are filled with beautiful, simple artwork. I didn’t rush through it, though. I read passages I enjoyed several times. I went back to my favorite passages and read them again.
Thích Nhất Hạnh compares the joy of walking meditation to an astronaut being able to walk again after an extended stay on the International Space Station. (I like that.)
Walking meditation is walking with mindfulness. You don’t do anything else while you walk. You don’t look at your phone, you don’t talk, while you’re walking. You don’t read How To Walk while you’re walking. “You just walk,” the book says. It is walking in the moment, without thoughts of the past or future.
For such a short book, it packs a lot of instruction. It give you an overview of walking meditation. It gives instructions on breathing, stepping, and being. There are examples of where, when, and how to practice. There are poems to guide you.
I enjoyed reading How To Walk. Thích Nhất Hạnh has written other “how to” books, including, How To Love, How To Sit, and How To Eat.
- A self-improvement book
- A book that’s guaranteed to bring you joy
Feeding Squirrels On My Way To Work 
This is great, you were due for a shorter book and one sure to bring enjoyment. However, even when “Just walking,” one should look both ways before crossing the street!