Key 4: Disappear into Motion
Key Points:
1. Moving meditation - i.e. activity where we rhythmically contract our muscles, like when walking - is an effective way to transition from the beta (i.e. busy) brain state to a more calm theta brain state.
2. This type of activity allows us to be fully immersed in the present moment, and can even spark creativity and ideation.
3. When engaging in moving meditation, try to give yourself at least 15 minutes, and realize that there’s no need to push yourself hard. It should more therapeutic than uncomfortable. So, if you do use music, keep it relaxing. And don’t watch TV! Do your best to get outdoors in nature.
“For me exercise is more than just physical, it’s therapeutic.”
One of the most powerful ways to slow down a racing mind and spark a calmer approach to life is—counterintuitively—to move. Specifically, to move in a rhythmic and repetitive activity like walking, running, swimming, biking, or paddling. Rhythmic movement helps us change our state from one in which we feel like we are hustling and racing around (the beta state) to one where our minds settle down (the theta state). When we do this with intention, I call it “moving meditation.”
Moving meditation is any activity where your muscles are contracting in a consistent pattern over a period of time like walking or cycling. This kind of activity helps you relax and let your mind can wander. If you do this regularly, it can be a very powerful stress reducer as well as decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety.
The idea is to be completely focused on an activity or exercise to the point where you seem to have no thoughts at all. You disappear into the motion. You aren’t thinking about anything. You are just there. As a result of being fully “in” your experience, you not only optimize the physical elements of the activity, you groove habits of mindfulness, ideation, and relaxation.
Movement can be a form of meditation and can trigger creativity and ideation. It’s an incredible feeling. If you need a little more inspiration, consider this: Charles Darwin built a path near his home where he could walk and think while moving. President Harry Truman would start his day with a 1.5- to 3-kilometre vigorous walk. Charles Dickens would go for long walks, often at night, to help him decompress from long hours spent writing.
You can think of it as either movement practice or moving meditation—just try to avoid calling it a “work out”. Adopting the meditative practice mindset can be very powerful.
Whether you engage in aerobic activity on its own or combined with meditation, you will improve your physical health and mental performance dramatically. You will also learn to enter into states of relaxation that will boost your creative capacity more easily. It’s a win-win-win situation.
A Simple Movement Protocol to Help You Relax and Boost Creativity
If you can adopt moving meditation, you will find that it brings joy and creative energy to your life in ways you never considered. Here are some tips to get you started:
Give yourself at least 15 minutes. Give yourself a break and the time you need to move until your mind slows down and relaxes. The first time you go out, you might even notice that your mind becomes more active. That’s okay. After a few sessions, you’ll be able to relax your mind while moving your body.
Go easy. You don’t want to be exercising so hard that it’s uncomfortable. This type of exercise should be light. A good way to tell if you’re exercising at the right intensity is that you should be breathing more than when you’re sitting down—just enough so that you can hear air moving in and out of your nose and mouth, but not so much that conversation would be difficult.
Use music, not TV. Listening to music while you move is okay as long as it puts you in a relaxed state. I’d recommend choosing one album or playlist that helps you relax. Don’t put it on shuffle: You could be listening to a nice classical piece and in a great place mentally, then be jolted by the opening chords of AC/DC. Watching TV on a treadmill or bike in the gym also defeats the purpose. Just put on the headphones and allow yourself to move and let your mind wander.
It’s not difficult to add some stress-relieving movement to your day. Choose a rhythmic activity you like, take it outside, take it easy, and listen to some relaxing music. This physical activity will do a lot of good for your mental state and will help you calm your mind and open up your potential to ideate, solve problems, and be creative.
Today’s Call to Action: Use Micro-movements to Spark your Brain
Give your brain energy by engaging your body in a steady stream of short bursts of activity throughout the day. Think of it as microdosing—on exercise, not hallucinogens! You will find it makes a huge difference to your attention, focus, and execution. Try adding this sequence to your day:
7:00 a.m. Morning run
8:30 a.m. Walk to coffee shop
9:30 a.m. 20 squats
11:00 a.m. 10 pushups
12:00 p.m. 15minute walk during lunchtime
2:00 p.m. 5 minutes of stretching: hip openers, calf raises, shoulder rolls
3:30 p.m. Plank pose (hold for 30 seconds and progress to 2 minutes, as you are able)
5:00 p.m. Transition ritual: Find a space on the way home where you can chill for a few minutes and/or go for a walk to burn off stress from the day
Today’s Bonus Video
Check out this TED Talk by neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki on the brain-changing benefits of exercise
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