Mindful movement offers us a way of being present with the body when we just cannot sit still. We can also use movement to explore mindfulness of the body while in action. This method helps us integrate the mindfulness we practice in a seated posture, into our movement-filled busy days.
There is great wisdom in the body, as the body is the filter through which we become aware of the present moment. The body is also the storehouse for physical and emotional joy and pain. By learning to be present with the body, we learn to be present with life. By recognizing and accepting the bodily sensations and energy that is here in this moment, we allow these sensations and energies to move and change.
Physical movement is a great way to assist in the movement of energy in the body. As we bring mindfulness to the body while moving, we necessarily bring mindfulness to the true nature of change.
- Practice Time: < 15 minutes
- Purpose: Embodied Presence
- May Help With: Body Awareness, Breath Awareness, Grounding
- Practice Level: Beginner
Here’s a Sample of the “Movement Meditation Script for Presence” Guided Meditation Script:
We spend so much of our lives with goals, striving towards something. But in meditation, for the most part, we do the opposite of that.In fact, one of meditation’s most important teachings is that if we can’t accept ourselves as we are in this moment, we will never feel fulfilled or contented.The paradox is that, once we begin to practice that acceptance, we often become kinder, happier people.One way to think of it is that meditation is like building an endless castle, one brick at a time. We don’t often see the “results” of our work. But every so often, we stand back and realize how far we’ve come since we placed the first brick, or the 50th.This is why it is important to challenge ourselves in our practice – compassionately. This is where the Buddhist concept of being a warrior can help.
We are being warriors not in a violent way, but by being in the present. We are not numbing out or distracting ourselves, just for right now.We are staying present with the difficult emotions and the feeling of groundlessness that can arise. This is an act of courage – of a warrior.Movement meditation is a great way to rise to this challenge. It’s also a great tool to have when we simply feel like we cannot sit still.When something very difficult or scary comes up in our lives – a health diagnosis, the loss of someone we love, a trauma – the idea of sitting can seem impossible.Mindful movement is a way to stay present with what’s happening in our body, rather than get lost in thought, planning, fantasizing, or worrying.Make no mistake: being present in our bodies is difficult! Why? We think of our bodies as a place where physical pain lives, but it is also the home of our emotional pain.
How to Use This Movement Meditation Script
To use this guided moving meditation script, first familiarize yourself with the practice by doing it on your own several times. As you become familiar with the moving meditation, you’ll begin to sense its power in your own body. This embodied wisdom will then help you as you guide others through a similar experience.
When you’re ready to share this moving meditation with others, you may read this script word for word, or make edits to the wording as you see fit. Share this meditation in individual or group settings, either live or as an audio or video recording.
Please note that not everyone is comfortable bringing mindful attention to their body. This script may be contraindicated for someone who has not yet established a foundational sense of safety within their own physical form. Participants should be encouraged to move at a pace that feels comfortable for them. You may also remind them that it’s perfectly ok to change focus, or to let go of the meditation if needed.
Conclusion
Seated and still meditation is not for everyone. Practicing mindful movement can help us ease into meditation when we’re not yet ready to be physically still. It can also make mindfulness of the body more accessible for some. Use this guided meditation script for mindful movement to help yourself, or someone else, sense presence and awareness in the body itself.
