The Walking Meditation Mat: Leveraging Targeted Heat Sensation to Guide Attention Inward
International Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems April 25, 2025 DOI: 10.1145/3706598.3713208 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA three-meter walking meditation mat with visual signifiers and heater pads was tested in a qualitative study. Participants reported that visual signifiers often drew attention outward, causing dizziness and imbalance, while targeted heat on the feet helped focus attention inward, promoting bodily sensations, calmness, grounding, and reflection. The findings suggest targeted heat can help balance inward and outward attention during walking meditation.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Meditators |
| Keywords | Computer science Psychology Medicine |
| Key finding | Visual signifiers were associated with outward attention, dizziness, and imbalance, whereas targeted heat affordances were associated with attention to bodily sensations, calmness, grounding, and reflection. |
Abstract
We present the walking meditation mat research, leveraging targeted heat to help meditators focus attention inward. The mat, measuring three meters in length, is designed with 10 visual signifiers and 10 corresponding heater pads arranged in a step-by-step pattern. Walking meditation is challenging, as it requires both inward and outward attention. In a qualitative study we studied the walking meditation experience with or without heat, evaluating the impact of the mat’s visual signifiers and the gentle feet-focused targeted heat during the walking experience. Our findings reveal the tension participants experience between external design factors and their internal meditation process. Visual signifiers were more commonly associated with outward attention, dizziness and imbalance, while targeted heat affordances were more commonly associated with attention to bodily sensations, calmness, grounding, and reflection. We conclude with insights regarding the role of targeted heat in balancing inward and outward attention in walking meditation and introspective processes.