Try This Movement Practice Before You Meditate

Mindful movement can help you tap into that space beyond your busy mind where you are already calm and clear. By focusing on the breath while doing some simple movements you can synchronize your mind and body with breath and rhythm. What happens when you do that, even after just a few minutes, is you begin to pause and start to focus.

2-Minute Mindful Movement Practice for Strengthening the Mind and Body

You can do this standing movement practice anywhere:

1. Separate your feet hip-width and bring your hands together in front of your chest, interlocking your fingers.
2. Take a deep breath in, then as you exhale, press your palms forward opening your back.
3. Inhale and reach your arms up, straight above your head, stretching your palms to the sky.
4. Exhale, release your interlocking fingers and fan your arms down and behind your back.
5. Interlock your finders behind your back.
6. Inhale, look up and lift your heart towards the sky, bending your back slightly.
7. Exhale, bend your knees, and bend forward, pointing your hands towards the sky, and your face towards the ground.
8. Inhale and come up to standing, releasing your fingers and fanning your arms up towards the sky, pressing your palms together.
9. Exhale and bring your hands together at your heart.
10. Repeat steps 1 through 9. But this time, at step 9, bring your hands behind your head instead of to your heart.
11. Open your elbows wide, and breathe in.
12. Exhale, lean to the right, bending at the torso, and reaching your left arm overhead and right arm towards the ground.
13. Inhale and come back to center, with your hands behind your head.
14. Exhale, lean to the left, bending at the torso, and reaching your right arm overhead and left arm towards the ground.
15. Inhale, bring your arms back to center, reaching to the sky above your head, pressing your palms.
16. Exhale, twist your torso to the right, lowering your arms to your sides.
17. Inhale, face center and reach your arms up to the sky over your head, pressing your palms.
18. Exhale, twist your torso to the left, lowering your arms to your sides.
19. Inhale, face center and reach your arms up to the sky over your head pressing your palms.
20. Release your arms by your sides.

Mindful Moment: 
After your stretch, close your eyes for a moment, you can even take this time to sit for your practice. Notice what it feels like to be right here in your body:

1. Notice your heartbeat
2. Notice your chest and belly lifting a lowering
3. Notice the sounds around you and the sounds inside of you.
4. Take few more moments and be still with yourself.

 

 

Cara has a free app, On The Verge, featuring mindfulness practices and strategies, as well as a new podcast offering no-hype guidance to slow down, settle down and shift from “crazy busy” to living with high-definition clarity and high voltage vitality.

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