Some of this introduction comes from the foreword and introduction to a book in progress titled "The Walks of Allah". That work as a whole is primarily intended as an instruction manual. It is useful mostly as a reference, while one is learning the walks under the guidance or instruction of a teacher, or when one is administering walks as correctives. Overall self-application of those practices is not recommended. For some more information on why that is so and an introduction to practices in general, you can read an introduction to spiritual practices.
On this site, I have put some practices which are more available and can be done by anyone. However just because they are here and you can try them, this does not mean that they are appropriate for you.
If you do wish to go use some, I recommend following your intuitive guidance closely. Please spend some time in meditation, first to consider if a particular practice specifically is appropriate now. If not, then don't do it until it is. If so, then consider further how to approach it.
I would strongly suggest the following steps:
1. Keep in mind that the most effective use of these walks is first through attunement with another who knows them - and then the next step up the ladder. If you open the door for that guidance, it will come when appropriate.
2. Read through the practice at a very leisurely pace before applying it. It would be better if you read it a few times over a few days, put your attention on it from time to time, and let it "percolate". This will give you an opportunity to absorb it a little as a base. By taking the time to read and feel you could be able to get a sense that will then act upon the personality and psyche more deeply.
3. Follow your own intuitive guidance in order to decide upon and start the first practice; to feel if you should do it at all, and if so for how long; and when to stop. Then follow that guidance for the next step.
Do not apply these as teachings or correctives for others. Leave that to those who have had that specific training.
For all other people who wish to apply these teachings without either guidance of a qualified teacher; or who do not wish to follow the approach previously stated; I urge you not to.
Practices can be described as a means to growth and balance - when applied in the appropriate sequence, under the guidance of a competent teacher who is also able to recommend their proper use. It is through this manner that they can be most effectively used. Of course, this also means that the right application is sometimes to keep the medicine in the bottle of avoidance.
When you approach these works it is important to recognize, and then to remember, that with very few exceptions, practices should not be used in a linear manner. A qualified teacher may assign them in order to a person (or group). But that would have to be done for specific reasons applicable to that situation. In no circumstance should that reason be to experience more for himself or herself. Please try to apply the 3 suggestions above.
Here is an experiment to try.
First, stand up and take note of how you are feeling. Then adjust your posture. Stand tall, stretch your neck up, lift your head high until it is level, breathe deeply through your nose and abdomen, relax your face, and then hum deeply (or sound a loud humming sound for a few moments). Then relax some more and walk in place very strongly. Increase the strength and length of the tone. Extend your arms, swinging them more and more strongly until you are practically marching in place - chest out, knees high, strongly but calmly breathing in out through the nose, and periodically and rhythmically humming or sound a "hummm" tone. Then stop and breathe.
How do you feel now? No doubt you are more relaxed, but at the same time more invigorated. You are more alive, stronger, more focused. What has changed? Nothing more than a few moments spent concentrating on a form, motion, and sound; and combining them. You have now changed your attitude, focus, feeling, "atmosphere", desires, and depth of experience - all through a very simple exercise.
We do this sort of thing all the time; whether we are aware of it or not. Indeed, whole schools are based upon the functions described above: motion, form, sound, attention, and their combinations. In addition, in folklore and everyday life we can find examples of these processes at work. From the simple statement of "sit up straight" to the esoteric schools, through theater games, psychological experiments and therapies, sports, mental gymnastics, religious practices, and everyday "common sense" practical attitudes and approaches to living. We see how these fundamentals - sound, breath, movement, and form can have their effect on how we feel and to what extent we can experience or do a certain thing.
We can control the influences of our feeling, experience, mental, emotional, and physical states through learning how to apply to proper combination of sound, breath, form, and motion. And even this would be shortsighted if we could look further beyond these limited physical, mental, and psychological effects. For we can use these tools, if properly applied, to increase our awareness of the infinite and assist us to broaden and change into that ideal.
Let us consider how one generally goes about learning a new skill and applying one's aptitudes in a new way. Trial and error is one way; mimicry is another. (Following instruction, either written or verbal, is essentially a form of mimicry). Learning can be by chance, happening upon the correct method at once; through intuition; or through a combination of all of these factors. If we now omit the way that one learns; in order to perfect ones actions the person is always left with practice. So we have several means to be introduced to a subject and one means to perfect it.
Upon examination of the means to learn something we can readily see that the most effective method of the group above would be following the personal guidance of one who already has a level of excellence in that particular endeavor. We then attempt to mimic or repeat what that person does. In time we learn it and shade it with the qualities of our own personality. Not that we cannot learn in any other ways, but only that we can benefit more directly and quickly from one who has already reached the goal we seek, and who has experienced the many pitfalls and facets of the process and experience. So in that manner we can be forewarned and guided in the way that works best for us. This of course assumes that the person doing the guidance first has in fact reached that level, and second, is capable of conveying that experience through guidance particular to the individual.
Trial and error is also a way to learn. But that may take a great deal of time, energy, and a lot of error. Direct intuition is perhaps the easiest and most full way to learn. But in order to do that, one must first learn how to connect with and then utilize this direct intuition - something that is part of the intent of this book. There is another way that we learn, and that is through revelation. Should that take place, you will certainly know it, and because of that we will go no further in discussing it.
So we have trial and error, chance, mimicry, and direct intuition. Some of the intent of this work is to present you with the opportunity to develop direct experience through intuition by following the written guidance of one who has experienced some awareness of the goal(s) you seek; in a way that will operate through your own trial and error of the exercises or practices; and the chance that you will "catch it". For in truth, it really can't be taught, it's got to be caught.
Now in order for you to "catch it" perhaps an example of how we practice and learn in another situation will be beneficial, and can lead to a sense that can be applied in this context.
Let us consider "theater games"; those exercises which are preliminary to real studying and true acting. More extemporaneous than a script, they lend themselves to preparing the vehicles: the body, mind, and personality, to be receptive and experience. For as any actor knows, one can only express what one can feel; and one is limited in expression by the abilities, range, and command of one's vehicles. It is appropriate to consider our actions similar to that of an actor, for we do have the choice of the roles that we can play through our vehicle - our body - in the earth, just as an actor does on the stage.
Thus in theater games we practice numerous ways to experience and then express a certain feeling. We may mime an activity or show it through facial expression. We may make nonsense sounds which represent a quality. We may change our walk to show a point of view, age, or personality. We may also quiet our thoughts and try to reach back to a feeling or experience and apply it in a broader way to our part. By doing any or all of these things, we then begin to feel the attribute we are seeking. Slowly it becomes more real or solid, and slowly we take it on as part of ourselves.
One of the problems an actor has to deal with is actually taking on the personality of the role, for it then will tend to follow in the rest of the daily life. The actor tries to control that and differentiate it or isolate it from his non-acting living. For us, we seek to absorb it, and it us, and to have it become part of our life.
This will give you a little idea of how we can approach the practices of the walks of Allah. Each walk, coupled with a spoken word or phrase is a representation of a quality or attribute. By paying attention to the positions of our body, the sound, and by attuning ourselves through the breath, we can take on that particular attribute. Then, through time and use, it becomes more naturally a part of us. It is then that we can express that quality alone or blend it with other qualities. On one level we are above it, and it part of us. On another, it leads us to an even deeper understanding and experience - which then goes even further.
There are other uses of the walks. These are as correctives. In this case, a particular walk, combination, or sequence of walks, are given as practices to balance or bring out an attribute in an individual or group. A qualified teacher or guide gives this work. We are not concerned with that at this time, here.
If you have not done so already, you might want to read an introduction to spiritual practices. There are two other related works that might be usefull. One is The walk of Allah, and the other is Ya Allah: more on the walk of Allah.