Our bodies come in all shapes, and we all have different interests, talents, and abilities. But as today’s teacher Cara Bradley points out, movement of any kind—from the slightest glance to the most vigorous exercise—can be memorable.
This simple meditation helps you celebrate your body through the practices of connecting with your spirit and body, increase your awareness, and appreciate the gift of life.
Meditation Makes Movement Remember
Read and practice the guided meditation text below, pausing after each passage. Or listen to the audio practice.
- The purpose of this practice today is to stabilize our bodies and minds, aligning our breath and movement, and energizing the whole body, emotions, and mental well-being. The important thing to remember in all of this is that when our bodies are calm, our minds are calm. And when our bodies feel stable and stable, our minds feel stable and stable. What happens physically also affects the mind. In fact, in many ways, our nervous system is a reflection of what is going on in our minds. So if you’re feeling really confused, I’m going to encourage you to start looking at your nervous system with some of the tools I’m going to teach you here in this meditation.
- We will be moving and breathing in rhythm. This helps us simplify what is called compatibility. Coherence is a way of synchronizing our nervous system, our heart rate, our brain waves. Research shows that when we are together or in a social situation, we feel better. We feel calmer, clearer. We feel strong. And our minds are very quiet. The best way to find harmony is to find your breath and breathe in rhythm.
- Don’t worry about perfection, there isn’t. Don’t worry about big or small or advanced or beginner, it’s not that at all. This is a mindful movement practice, so this is your practice to cultivate awareness of both mind and body. We will walk for about six to seven minutes, really easy movements that everyone can do, then we will rest. Now I encourage you to take a moment or two to relax. That’s when we start putting it together. This is where we connect and really allow ourselves the opportunity to experience that compatibility. In a stable and stable state of being. You are worth it and your life is worth it.
- Place your feet hip-width apart, find a comfortable posture, and here we go. Let’s just find that rhythm. Inhale, reach your arms forward and up. Open your hands, extend your arms and extend them to the ground. Take a breath, reach forward and up. Spin the palms open, out and down. One more time. Take a breath, reach forward and up. Spin the palms, exhale out and down.
- The following is what I call it Body and Mind Immersion. Exhale, reach to your left. He took a deep breath, and climbed back to the center. Exhale, swipe to your right. He took a deep breath and reached up. So we’re going slow on purpose, everyone. Exhale, reach to the left. He took a deep breath and reached up. Exhale, reach right. Again, take a deep breath. He took a deep breath and laughed. He took a deep breath. He turned right. He took a deep breath and went back up. He is on your left, we will hold, bring your hand to your hip. He took a breath, reached in, and let it out. So by following the breath, take a good, deep breath. Reach in, exhale, push your hips to the right, breathe in. Just one thing, take a deep breath.
- If you can, reach for less. He took a deep breath, reaching both arms up. Exhale, swipe to your right. He took a deep breath. Exhale, reach out. Just sit and breathe. He took a deep breath. Exhale, reach out. Nice easy side here, take a deep breath. Take a breath, last, take a breath, exhale, reach, hold, inhale, reach both arms up.
- Now, place your hands on your knees like you are a baseball player. With straight arms, bring your hips back, now bring your arms back. On your inhale, reach arms forward, up, look up, bring arms back and down, pull up, swing, back out. He takes a breath, reaches up, and takes it back. One more time. He took a deep breath and reached up. He took a deep breath and went back. Reach your arms up, this time intertwining your fingers behind your head. Send your hips forward and put your head back for a moment here.
- Now, take off your feet and send your hips forward. Can you let your head go in your hands? How does that sound? Open your elbows just a little wider, one more breath, take a deep breath, expand your lungs. Exhale, reach both arms overhead. Sometimes, the hands are on the knees like a baseball player. This time put your elbows on your knees if you can. If you have low stuff, stay here. Otherwise you can drop your elbows right here and look down, a nice forward bend.
- Let’s take three deep breaths here. Take a breath, pull your hips, let it out. Also, getting a breath. He took a deep breath and pulled his hips back. Exhale. At one point, take a breath, sink your hips a little. Small powerful movements, breathe, straighten the legs. Exhale, bend your knees. So they don’t have to understand completely. Breathe in, direct, and accompany movement and breathing. He took a deep breath and bent over. Three more, take a deep breath. Go find that spirit, that united spirit. Exhale, sweet and deep and rhythmic. He took a deep breath. Exhale. There they are. The last one. He took a deep breath. Take a deep breath, bend down and hold.
- We’re still here, let’s put it down. Go down until you reach your stomach. It’s a powerful backbend, so reach your arms to the side legs together. On your inhale, lift. Exhale, lower it in half. Take a breath, lift, lift. Exhale, down. So this is very healthy for our spine, everyone. Inhale, lift, exhale, exhale. The last one. Take a breath, lift, hold. Grab, reach. Reach with your fingers. Lift your chest, lift your legs, and let go.
- We’ll put it on our backs to finish. So roll on your back, straighten both legs, and again, you’re working hard. Pull your right knee in, hold yourself tight here, squeeze tight. It is very useful for your hips. Now breathe, breathe, switch your legs, left knee in, breathe. Exhale, switch your legs, breathe. Exhale. Once in a while, change, inhale, squeeze, exhale. Bring both knees in, just squeeze them, and I’m going to bring your knees to 90 degrees. Take your arms to the side.
- Take here our spine twist, our final movement. On your inhale, lower knees to your right. Look to your left. Exhale, lift to the middle. So they don’t need to touch. Breathe into your lift, a nice twist in your spine. Exhale, in the middle. Following the breath and movement, inhale, to the right. Exhale, center, inhale, left. Exhale, in the middle. One more time. Take a breath, right. Center of exhalation, inhale to the left. The exhaust center. Now put your feet on the ground, straighten your legs, spread your feet apart, lift your palms up so you’re like a snow angel, big and wide, and just close your eyes here and allow yourself the next few minutes to really connect with your body.
- As you lie here quietly, notice any sensations, any cool or hot sensations. Maybe something tickles you. Our body speaks to us in the language of hearing. And by connecting body and mind through breath and movement, our awareness increases.
- We begin to speak that emotional language well. So what do you feel in your body? And finally, be aware of your breath. Just notice how your body breathes, how it feels when you inhale, what changes in your ribs, your back, and what happens when you exhale. Just being aware, using your body, your breath, your heartbeat, your emotions as anchors of your awareness in this meditation practice.
- Now just open your eyes and notice what it’s like to be you right now in this moment. Do you feel more clear and calm? Either you are stable, or you are free. Maybe you feel energetic and ready for your day. Pull your knees to your chest and just bend to one side. Then curl up, have a seat for one moment. With your chin up and looking up. Congratulate yourself for succeeding in this practice. Thank yourself for giving yourself this gift of movement, of deep, consistent breathing, and some peace and quiet.
