How to Practice Mindful Movement

Give me a moment, and I’ll explain what a sloth, a swan, and a ballet dancer have in common and why they’re relevant in a discussion about mindfulness and mindful movement.

Mindfulness goes beyond simply sitting in meditation and clearing your mind. While mindfulness meditation is an excellent method for cultivating a focused mind, clarity, and inner peace, it also creates architectural and functional changes in the brain that enhance focused attention, as supported by research.

However, mindfulness isn't confined to meditation; it extends into all aspects of daily life, including movement.

When we think of a swan and a ballet dancer, we envision elegance and grace.

Mindful movement is very much like this!

When you focus on every movement you make and the intention behind it, you start to live differently. You embody grace, elegance, and presence.

Much like a swan, your actions begin to flow effortlessly from one to the next, and like a ballet dancer, every action becomes purposeful. This strengthens the connection between your mind, body, breath, and eyes, which is crucial.

Now, consider the sloth. While we may not typically associate sloths with grace or elegance, they move slowly and with purpose. Mindful movement requires you to slow down. By slowing down, you become more mindful, paying attention to each movement rather than acting automatically. This deliberate pace is essential for developing mindfulness.

The Importance of Mindful Movement

Your body's natural state is one of healing. You are designed to grow, expand, and move towards balance and coherence. Even when you are unwell, your body is striving to return to a balanced, harmonious state. Disease is essentially a state of "dis-ease," and your body has numerous mechanisms to help you regain ease.

Stress leads to this state of dis-ease. We know that constantly rushing, overloading ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally without rest, results in stress and ultimately dis-ease.

Mindfulness is a powerful way to slow down, relax the body, and shift from fight-or-flight mode to a state of relaxation. Practicing mindful actions can significantly transform how you live your life, promoting a more balanced and peaceful existence.

6 Methods for Practicing Mindful Movement

1. Emphasize Clarity and Intention

When you direct your attention to your actions, you're practicing mindfulness. By doing so, your gaze settles on your body, which moves with conviction and intention. This strengthens the connection between mind and body, and as you slow down, your breath naturally follows suit.

Rather than solely prioritizing the divine masculine energy of swift thought-to-action transitions, you welcome the divine feminine. Slowing down encourages you to progress through thought, feeling, and then action.

Concentrate on being assured about your actions and setting deliberate intentions. Through your breath and deliberate, purposeful movements, you awaken the heart.

2. Practice Slow Yoga

Yoga seeks to harmonize and unite the mind, body, and spirit. Engaging in a slower form of yoga can assist in decelerating the rhythm of your movements, teaching the mind that there is no urgency to hurry, and it is indeed safe to ease into a slower pace.

Slow yoga practices encompass meditative vinyasas, Yin yoga, and Restorative yoga.

3. Practice Qigong

Qigong emphasizes the cultivation and fortification of life-force energy. It serves as an excellent avenue for nurturing mindfulness, as it necessitates slowing down, concentrating on your breath, and moving with intention.

Over time, you may start to perceive subtle energy flowing and shifting as you engage in the practice. With dedication and practice, individuals can even learn to harness this energy for healing purposes. This mindful practice is accessible to all, as it can be performed while standing or sitting.

4. Try A Walking Meditation

This practice of mindfulness can truly transform your life! Often, we find ourselves rushing around, walking briskly from one place to another with headphones in, listening to an audiobook, or chatting on the phone.

Mindful walking is all about...you guessed it, slowing down!

In this mindful practice, you center your attention on your breath and take each step while being fully aware of the movement of your body. Pay attention to how your body feels with each movement and the postures you assume as you walk.

Take your time and observe your surroundings, re-establishing your connection with the earth and perhaps even engaging with the people you encounter on your walk.

Notice the sounds, scents, and colors of the environment around you, allowing yourself to become more deeply attuned to the rich, vibrant experience you're immersed in.

Walking mindlessly is often a habit, allowing our minds to wander and dwell on other matters, gradually diminishing our mindfulness of the present moment.

This practice is particularly profound because it may be new to many people. Focusing on your steps might seem simple, but it's the perfect way to engage in mindful movement, reconnect with nature, and express gratitude and appreciation for existence.

5. Engage in Slow Dancing

You don't have to be a dancer to enjoy slow dancing. Dancers infuse purpose into their movements, and that's precisely what slow, mindful dancing is about.

Start by playing some music and allowing your body to sway to the rhythm. Forget about being a skilled dancer and simply move in whatever way feels natural to you.

Experiment with slowing down your movements, paying attention to your breath, exploring different motions, and allowing yourself to move with grace and fluidity, transitioning seamlessly from one movement to the next.

Sync your breath with your movements and let your gaze follow, creating a powerful harmony between your Yin and Yang energies.

6. Incorporate Mindfulness into Your Daily Life

The final method for practicing mindful action involves integrating it into your everyday activities. Select an activity that you typically do without much thought and begin to engage in it mindfully.

Utilize your five senses to anchor your attention in the present moment. Pay attention to what you can see, smell, taste, feel, and hear as you go about your daily tasks.

Here are some activities to try incorporating mindful action into: drinking water, brushing your teeth, brushing your hair, dry brushing your skin, tidying up, cleaning, walking up the stairs, and putting on your clothes.