Exploring the role of movement in meditation.

This musing stems from a session that I was planning to record for those inside the Embodied Well Membership and the Free CoEvolution Community, as it's sort of a preface to the meditations we'll be exploring, but then as life often does.

This question arose in another context. It came up during a meditation group that I'm involved in. The question was something along the lines of, "Is it okay to move in meditation, and if we're moving, is it meditation?" So, I want to dive into ways we can approach it and honor how dynamic and complex this question can be.

A few weeks ago, I went on a relatively short and easy hike in the woods, a trail I had been on before. It led to a beautiful watering hole where a stream became a waterfall, ultimately flowing into a large pool for swimming before continuing onward. The trail was quite wide and did not have many obstructions to deal with; it was also relatively flat.

Along I plodded, anxious to reach the water to cool off as it was an exceptionally hot and muggy day. Halfway there and my feet and back were already tiring. By the time I reached all the action, which was only a mile in, my feet had moved past tiring to aching.

When you think of meditation, you probably don’t associate it with better digestion and gut health. I know I didn’t until I learned just how much unresolved stress influences our gut health and just how powerful meditation is for decreasing stress and improving our ability to digest.

Did you know that conscious attention can actually change your brain and your whole life experience?

You see, your thoughts create patterns and images in your mind that directly influence your body and vice versa. It’s all a matter of where you put your attention. For instance, you might look at the horizon or the feel of the ground beneath your feet, is going to produce a completely different chemical reaction, and inspire a different physical stance then if you focus on what you lack or what is wrong.