One of the easiest and best ways to still the mind is to move the body. You can dance, exercise, jump, or shake. Moving the body forces the heart to beat faster and flush the whole body with oxygen rich blood. It is this oxygenated blood that gives the body peace of mind.
Today join me in moving the body by shaking, wriggling and giggling. Giggling is part of the exercise in that we are moving the consciousness away from seriousness to creativity and play.
The outline below is just a suggestion, you can create your own moves and play within a time frame that works for you.
Here we go!
Before we start, you may want to find a piece of music that you can move to; something rhythmic and uptempo.
1. Find a spacious area where you can move your body and not be disturbed. Turn on the music. Start by standing still (feet shoulder width apart) and breathing into your body. Feel the expanse of your body from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. Stand tall and breathe deeply.
2. Now bend your knees slightly and slowly begin to shake your body up and down for a a couple of minutes. Shake your arms and legs, wriggle your toes and fingers. If you can move your neck and shake your head.
3. Observe your breathing and adjust it to meet your body’s requirements (longer, deeper, slower). Now begin to shake with a little more energy (if your body is up to it – otherwise continue with the gentle shaking). Do this for a short amount of time (15 – 20 seconds) and then return to the slower pace.
4. Now bring your awareness to your hips, thighs and buttocks. Just focus on shaking them as vigorously as you can. SHAKE! (10 seconds) and slow down. At this point, you may find yourself giggling or laughing especially if they wiggle and jiggle like mine! Have fun! Add a few silly moves to add to the laughter.
Repeat the above steps a couple of times and then begin to slow down your shaking until you come to a stop. Place your hands on your belly and feel it rise and fall as you breathe in and out.
Now sit down and close your eyes to meditate. Meditate for as long as you would like and enjoy the whole body smile!
Here are some music suggestions: