Mindful Movement: Contemplative Practices with Physical Activity

Abstract

One way to view mindfulness is the ability to become fully immersed in the present moment. Mindful awareness is being able to recognize thoughts, sounds, sensations, and emotions as they occur in the here and now. Mindfulness as a movement practice originated in the Far East and has become mainstream in today’s Western culture through popular meditative exercises such as yoga, tai chi, and walking. Mindful movements are an amalgam of contemplative practices (i.e., mindfulness) coupled with low impact physical activity (i.e., movement) with the purpose of nourishing the mind and body by bringing heightened awareness to the present moment. The purpose of this article is twofold: to introduce teachers to the conceptualization of mindful movement and cover the potential benefits that stem from using these techniques in and outside of the classroom. Learning strategies to help lower stress and anxiety is a pathway toward promoting social and emotional health. Thus, teachers may find these mindful movement practices to be useful for personal or teaching purposes.