Meditation has been a buzzword for a while now but meditative movement is relatively new in the wellness world. You know I love to dive into all the latest trends when it comes to fitness and wellness.

In the beginning of 2020 I made the shift from working out like crazy to mindful movement. Meditative walking/running became a big part of my new fitness routine. But what exactly is meditative movement? And is it something you should incorporate into your wellness routine?

What is meditative walking/running?

When going on a meditative walk/run you are solely concentrating on you and your body. Usually when we walk or run, we go right into autopilot mode. Especially if we are taking a very familiar route. External distractions through our headphones by listening to music or podcasts prevent us further from consciously experiencing the now and taking in our surroundings.

During a meditative walk or run you consciously focus on the movements of your body, how it feels, what you see around you, and your breath. This form of meditation is especially beneficial for people who have a hard time concentrating while in a seated position. I always find that movement makes it easier to get out of my head and into my body.

As always, Tony Robbins said it best:

Emotion comes from motion.

Tony Robbins

You can create positive emotions with movement and get rid of negative ones. Ever punched a pillow when you felt angry or just screamed at the top your lungs? Then you know how freeing this can feel. Emotions need to move through your body to be released and that can be best achieved through motion.

Different Ways of meditative movement

I personally love to visualize or daydream while on a meditative walk or run. This will take your mind off the things that worry or stress you out and bring you into a state of peace and gratefulness. Having a grey day? Imagine yourself running along the beach or through sunny woods. Longing for change in your life? Think about what your dream life/day would look like. What would you wear? Who are you with?

Focusing on things that make you happy, will signal your brain that you are safe, automatically putting you in a state of peace and relaxation. Some days it will be easier to shut off the monkey in your head and sometimes it will be harder. And that’s totally ok. Remember to take one step at a time and not be too hard on yourself.

Other forms of meditative movement include hiking, biking, yoga, standup-paddling, and swimming.

Why you should make meditative movement part of your fitness routine

Meditative movement is especially beneficial in nature. Like running or walking through the woods. The color green is associated with the heart chakra. Seeing this color has an immediate soothing affect on you. In Human Design the heart center stands for willpower and energy. A healthy heart means a strong will and the endurance to push through when things get tough.

Running or walking by the ocean has a similiar soothing effect. Blue stands for the throat chakra, your ability to speak the truth or just swallow everything that’s thrown at you. In Human Design it’s the center of expression.

You see when these two are balanced, you will also experience more happiness and calmness in your life.

Balancing your regular fitness routine out with meditative walks or runs will lower your cortisol levels and helps to bring the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system back into balance. Working out puts stress on your body even if it’s positive stress. So it’s very important that you always take rest days to let your body recover. Only then will you be able to see the desired results.

Sometimes slowing down will bring you further faster (I already talked about it in this post). Even if it might feel counterintuitive at first.

How to add meditative movement to your day

I’m a big believer in moving every day. This can be as little as 10 minutes but will make a huge difference in how you feel. Adding meditative walking or running breaks to your day is a great way to take care of your mental and physical health at the same time.

And it’s not as difficult as you think. Here are a few examples of what I mean:

• Set your alarm a few minutes earlier, put on your cutes workout gear and get out the door
• Go on a lunch break walk. Maybe even through a nearby park?
• Take your afternoon coffee outside
• Lace up your shoes and run around the block while dinner is in the oven

You see, the possibilites are endless. And once you realize how good you feel and how much easier you can navigate your thoughts, the more you will make it a priority in your life.

Remember, you can only show up for others if you show up for yourself first!