Movement Meditation to Clear Stress and Anxiety
This week’s podcast episode is a gentle movement meditation to help channel and clear the agitated energies of stress and anxiety. (The meditation itself starts around the 4:44 mark, after a brief introduction.)
Episode Details:
This practice is intended to help you “complete the stress cycle” by engaging your body’s natural fight/flight impulses through a few simple Qigong movements, with an emphasis on mindfulness. It’s kind of like a movement practice that has the feel of a guided meditation.
Photo: Erik Witsoe via Unsplash
You may have noticed that when you’re caught up in anxiety and worry, it can be really hard to sit still and meditate. This is where mindful movement can be incredibly beneficial, as it gives us an active way to work with challenging states.
As you put your restless energy (and stress hormones) to use through intentional mindful movements, you are signaling your nervous system that you are in control and that you’re ok in this present moment. With practice, you can use these movement meditation tools to decrease the unpleasant physical sensations of anxiety, and to help calm overthinking and worry (which is often fed by agitation in the body).
How to use this movement meditation for stress and anxiety
This movement meditation can be done either standing or seated in a chair. You can use this practice as an anxiety prevention tool, or as a form of nervous system maintenance whenever you feel agitating sensations, emotions, or thoughts building up. This can also be a great practice to do before bed, to clear your energy and promote peaceful sleep.
Do keep in mind that this practice can be an excellent complement to professional mental health support, but no meditation is a replacement for medical or mental health treatment when professional help is needed. If you are experiencing overwhelming anxiety or distress, please seek additional support.
I hope you find this movement meditation useful, and that it brings some ease into your day!
More Movement Meditation Resources and Links from this episode:
- This article from the Somatopia blog offers some theories for why shaking (and other cathartic movements) can help us release stress and challenging emotions.
- You can read more about the Pericardium and Heart Meridians of Chinese Medicine (mentioned in the meditation) in this blog post by Jennifer Raye, who is a yoga teacher and licensed acupuncturist.
And, if you enjoyed this guided meditation, you might also like Episode 35 “So You Think You Can’t Meditate: Anxiety and Strong Emotions.” In addition, guest Monica Le Baron talked about completing the stress cycle to improve sleep in Episode 89: Simple Therapeutic Yoga to Sleep Well.
Looking for more movement-based meditations? Check out Episode 88 – Moving Meditation: Guided Practice for Slowing Down.
Put your mindfulness into action!
If you are interested in sharing movement-based mindfulness practices with others, take a look at the Mindful Movement Teacher Training! The next round of this online training program begins in October, and the application period opens July 15th.