How moving meditations help you get out of your head
The other day I woke up feeling very anxious and irritated for no apparent reason. I racked my brain to try and figure out why I was feeling this way and came up blank. Nothing on paper was wrong or off, yet I was feeling heavy, negative and bothered. The more I thought about it, the worse I felt. I knew the best thing to do was to try and get out of my mind and into my heart through meditation. And yet, the thought of sitting peacefully and quietly in lotus pose not only sounded undoable, but painful given the ants in my pants I was feeling. And that’s when I heard in my mind’s voice: “Get out of your head and get into nature!”
I’ve learned that sometimes it’s easier to connect to our inner selves, Source and Spirit while doing a moving meditation, rather than a sitting one. Especially for those of us who are generally “doers,” and find it challenging to sit still and not be productive, moving meditation can be the perfect solution. Whether it be a form of exercise that gets you in a zone, such as walking, running, hiking, yoga, or a martial art; or a simple act such as knitting, washing dishes, mowing the lawn, or gardening. It matters not what you do, just how you do it. The key is mindfulness. It’s about being totally present in the moment, lost in your activity, with the intention to just be with whatever comes up. It’s about being the witness to your thoughts and feelings, simply acknowledging them without judgment, and then letting them go.
And so, I followed my inner guidance, threw on a pair of hiking boots, and headed for a hike in the mountains. I found myself lost in mind thoughts for the first mile or so, going over my to-do lists for the week, the “what ifs” around situations that had yet to occur, and all sorts of opinions around a few people I had just spent some time with the day before. Despite my higher self knowing better — as not to judge, and to let go of the fear-based thinking — I, like everyone else, have a brain that tends to go on autopilot when left unchecked. Instead of fighting it, I surrendered to it, just allowing all this senseless mind chatter to come and go, like clouds passing by. And once I got it all out of my system, there were gaps of silence. It was as if I had been listening to a radio station with all sorts of noisy commercials, and then a few pauses in between of complete silence.
The longer I walked up the mountain, and quite honestly the harder the hike got, the easier it became to stay present and think of nothing other than putting one foot in front of the next. It was that place that athletes call when they get into “the zone” or experiencing a runner’s high. After about 20 minutes, I was completely there and stayed there for the remainder of my 5 mile hike. When the wind came, I’d imagine it blowing off all toxic psychic debris that I had collected in my energy field or aura. I imagined the sun beating down on me, charging my chakras and aura, while clearing out any negativity I had sponged up (thus, what I had been feeling upon awakening). And each step I took grounded me deeper into my body and into my power. Once I finished my hike, I felt a complete shift. Any and all anxiety and negative energy I had been feeling were completely gone. I was left feeling light, happy and free. My guides later channeled a message through me that said, When you’re feeling disconnected from Source within, get outside and step into your “temple” — mother nature. Make time to move your body, free your mind, and lift your spirit as you spend time each day outside.
I encourage you to pick something that allows you the experience to put this idea into practice. Don’t think too hard or long about it, just do it!