The gift of movement and taking pauses in daily life

In truth, there is not a hierarchy to movement. So performing a dull chore is not in anyway less significant than playing your favourite sport. I believe this approach will send an important message to your body that you are listening and that you care.  

Before we get to this week’s focus on mindful movement, here is a list of environmental factors that can support your journey to a healthy body. These include:

• A diet that is nutrient dense while being low in toxins
• Avoiding pollutants (chemicals in house/garden/bathroom cabinet/utility room cupboard, etc).
• A regular and varied exercise programme that honours your goals and matches your capabilities
• Non formal exercise movement such as chores, gardening, manual work and daily walks
• Stress in check
• Good quality sleep (early to bed, early to rise and consistent with timing) 
• Time spent in nature and allowing time to step back to contemplate
• Reduce exposure to EMF’s (from screens, modems, lighting, power sockets)
• Positivity on the inside (your own beliefs/thoughts for healing/potential)
• Positivity in your surroundings (from job, coaches, other people in general)!

Here’s a question to ponder:

“What if all movement was a gift that you get to open everyday”?

Why not pause here for a moment to re-read the question, close your eyes and notice what arises from your mind.

This might lead to a perspective shift and new appreciation for your body. You might consider that messages from your body are lessons waiting to be understood and in that knowing comes healing.

But, it’s all too easy to focus on pain, physical limitations and injuries and these maybe your primary method of knowing you have a body. I would like you to up your sensitivity so that you pick up on the subtle messages that the more neutral body parts might be saying.

All Dojiva classes are about self care

Ok, sometimes in the later stage of a HIIT class it may not feel that way, but you are always laying positive foundations for present energy and future health. 

I do believe that your body has the ability to transform and heal and movement with awareness is a vital part of this. Why? Because, when you move with care and listening, you not only reduce tension and the likelihood of injuries, you also develop a harmonious relationship between mind and body. From that base, healing, body balance, movement efficiency, strength, etc can come forth.

And part of your success with listening and healing is about slowing down and taking time in your day to pause. As much as I love HIIT, hill sprints and martial fitness, I also see a place for slow weight-bearing stretching that we get from yoga.

So, following on from last week, I am suggesting a week of classes inspired from yoga which should help you embody so many great physical benefits.

I am also inviting you to extend body awareness to non-exercise time (which happens to be most of the day)! This can bring a sense of:

• Sacredness
• Awe
• Gratitude and
• Appreciation to your body in day to day living...

especially with simple tasks such as getting up from a chair, reaching for something or picking something up from the floor.

You can even pause before you eat, when you get up from a nights sleep. You can pause when you change rooms, get out of the car, get up from weeding the flower bed and of course the biggest mind/body pause happens when you meditate. Lots of pauses this week!

These can interrupt a busy mind that has forgotten to notice what is here and that includes your body!

How about some affirmation ideas for this week?

”Today, I view all movement as a gift to learn from and explore”

“Yes, even the mundane chores of life can feel sacred”

”I appreciate my body and am taking pauses to listen”

Ok, that’s it for this week, thanks for reading

Take care

Danny