Mindful exercise and movement
The body cannot be forced to be in flow but should be invited to let go. The sitting and lying down body awareness training through body scan or breathing meditation is good, but mindfulness in movement is a necessity for most people as well, otherwise, you may experience stiffness and soreness if you do not move for a long period of time.
Mentally, many of us find that when we lie down, distractions and chaos often intrude. There is thought overload, twitching muscles, restlessness, boredom, impatience, or other perhaps overwhelming emotions. That is why it is a good idea to supplement your sitting or lying down meditative practice by increasing your awareness when moving.
Next time you go for a walk, practice being fully present while moving. Notice your body and its connection to the ground as you walk. Try to feel the entire movement pattern of your body from the intention to move to the full movement.
Remember to notice your breathing too. Fill your lungs completely with air and then release in the diaphragm as you exhale, so that the base tension level drops and all waste products leave the body. Notice how the intensity of your breathing rises and falls with the intensity of your movement.
Look around and see, listen, feel, and smell. What do you see around you? Are you in nature? In the city? Do you see grass, trees, gravel, or birds? Or asphalt, houses, tiles, and people? Listen to the sounds - birds chirping, a lawnmower, children shouting, wind whistling, rain falling, traffic, crowds, etc. Listen with all your senses fully engaged. Smell the grass, rain, sea, or car noise. Feel the ground under your feet, the clothes on your body, the wind brushing your cheek and possibly stop for a moment and feel the surface of a tree, grass, or sand between your fingers, etc. Let your thoughts fade into the background.
Apply the principle of mindfulness in motion to any other exercise you do. In the gym, on the treadmill, or stationary bike. Focus all your attention on the movement itself - the gross and fine motor skills of the body. Observe, record, explore, be curious, alert, and spacious with yourself.
Yoga is obviously a practice where it is easy to work with this presence because it is the very essence of practicing yoga. Many people find that the body lowers the basic level of tension, becoming supple in parts of the body that are usually perceived as stiff and uncooperative. Usually, the mind also follows suit. Mentally, you become more alert and flexible, more alive.
An attitude towards all forms of movement where you are curious, noticing, vigilant, and self-observant is the best way to help your body find its way back to well-being.
