Mindfulness in motion
Intentional movement can be a great way to bring your attention and awareness to the present moment, and tune into your body and mind.
When you think of mindfulness, do you think of stillness?
Not all mindfulness is practiced cross-legged on a meditation cushion chanting ‘ommm’ 🧘 Intentional movement can be a great way to bring your attention and awareness to the present moment, and tune into your body and mind.
Mindfulness is a great way to reduce stress, increase focus, and enhance your overall well-being. In movement, mindfulness becomes the practice of tuning into the sensations of your body and the rhythm of your breath to connect your body and mind.
How can you find mindfulness in movement?
- Walking meditation🚶Turn your daily walk into a meditation! Focus on each step you take. Notice how your feet touch the ground, the way your legs move, how your breath and your body coordinates to match the movements. When your mind starts to wander faster than your feet can take you, gently bring your attention back to the present.
- Breathing techniques 💨 Did you know your quality of breath affects all aspects of your health and wellness? Breathing can be used as a mental and physical regulator, how we sit, stand and move, to how we feel and think.
- Try Pilates, Tai Chi or Yoga 🧘 Breath is a fundamental principle for achieving a flow-state in many movement practices. A flow-state is where you become completely immersed in an activity, creating a fluidity between your body and mind. By pairing the breath with movement, the body is able to move in a way where one moment leads to another with ease and clarity.
What are the benefits of pairing mindfulness with movement?
Both mindfulness and movement have a wide range of benefits for your physical, mental and emotional well-being. Combining the two unlocks even more benefits for your body and mind, such as:
- Improved physical awareness 👀 By tuning into your body, you can create a deeper awareness of your physical capabilities, limitations and areas of tension or discomfort. This can help you move more efficiently, prevent injuries and enhance your overall physical wellbeing.
- Enhance mind-body connection 🧠 Move with greater coordination, balance and ease. By fuelling movement with breath, you can enter a flow state of focus.
- Reduce stress 😌 Mindful movement means shifting your focus away from worries and distractions to the present moment. Use movement to physically release tension and pent-up energy from your body and embrace a sense of calm and ease.
- Increased focus and concentration 📖 Moving mindfully requires you to maintain focused attention on your movement, breath and the task at hand. By training your mind to stay present and engaged during movement, you can enhance your ability to be attentive in other areas of life.
Interested in learning more about the mind body connection? We spoke to Dr Stanzie Langtree, doctor, international speaker, energetic healer and musician about this on our webinar channel.
Whether you’re walking, gardening, cleaning or just going about your day, you can use mindfulness techniques to bring calm and clarity into movement. Mindfulness is not about perfection; it’s about building awareness and being compassionate for yourself and others. We have a blog all about mindfulness, you can read it here.
Leora is committed to supporting you on your mindfulness journey. We have a library of resources designed to assist you with every step on the way, access to live chat with experienced counsellors at the touch of a button and a network of accredited therapists to guide the way.
Interested in learning more about Leora for your business? Contact us today!