Meditation in Motion
Not all meditation has to happen while sitting perfectly still. By focusing your awareness inward on your breath and how your body feels as it moves through transitions, holding different positions, and movement, you can reap many of the same rewards that seated meditation provides. With the added benefit of heightened focus, balanced energy, a sense of grounding, greater connection between mind and body, and some really great stress release.
Start by finding someplace with open space where you won’t be interrupted (and won’t feel judged or uncomfortable if other people happen to see you). Begin by standing with your feet hip width apart, feet flat on the ground, shoulders purposefully dropped away from your ears. As you inhale, gently pull your chest upward, welcoming a slight arch in your back to create an upright posture that opens your chest (similar to a ‘heart opening’ pose in yoga) but still lets you feel supported as you stand.
Take a few breaths as you stand in this posture and use the time to just notice your body. Notice how this posture feels, notice the feeling of the ground beneath your feet. Notice any movement of air around your body. And while you may be tempted to notice the world around you, try to draw your attention toward the feelings and sensations of your body. Instead of the external world, welcome your focus to how your body interacts with that external world as well as itself.
Try taking a few steps. Move slowly, deliberately. And, as you do focus on the feeling of movement in your body. Which muscles are activated? What do they feel like? How can you notice even more by slowing or shifting how you move? How is your balance affected by your slow or purposeful movement?
Once you’ve taken a few steps noticing your body and movement with hyperawareness, try moving in other ways as well. Try twisting or bending—move with a sense of curiosity and exploration—and notice your sensation, muscles, balance, etc. Move in whatever way you feel. Explore and notice.
When you feel things naturally winding down (or in line with whatever time frame you have set for yourself), return to the original, neutral, standing posture that you began with. Notice any differences between how you feel now and how you felt as you began. Offer yourself a measure of gratitude for you practice and enjoy the rest of your day.
Some pro tips…
As you grow in your capacity to engage this meditative practice, try deepening your experience by considering the following tips
be aware of what your spine is doing in every pose. Is it lengthening? (The answer should almost always be yes.) Try to create space between the vertebrae by using your core and back muscles for support.
Beyond noticing which parts of your body are in contact with the floor, actively push those parts in to the floor to engage your whole body (and even build a bit of strength).
Beyond an awareness of how your body moves as you transition between poses or postures, notice physical sensations in your joints and smaller muscles that might not be so obvious to notice.
Remember to check in with your breath often. Be sure that your breathing remains smooth, deep, and even. You can even try to consciously slow and deepen your breath while you move if you would like to extend your practice even further.