One of the things I love most about mindfulness is its adaptability. It’s not limited to certain objects of focus like the breath, particular postures like full lotus, or even serene retreat centers. Mindfulness can be integrated into any activity—walking, yoga, running, or lifting weights, to name a few.
Sati, the Pali word that mindfulness is most associated with, has a literal meaning of “remembering” or “recollecting.” This translation helps us understand one of the keys of mindfulness: It doesn’t matter what you’re doing or how you’re doing it, you can be mindful. Mindfulness is the quality of attention you bring to the moment.
The Buddha taught that mindfulness can be cultivated in all postures—sitting, standing, walking, and lying down. Yet, despite this encouragement, practitioners often get stuck in thinking their practice is confined to their cushion and that mindfulness can only be cultivated in stillness, slowness, or silence. If this were true, the conditions for practice would be very limited.
Once, when I spent time in a Burmese monastery with teacher Sayadaw U Tejaniya, I was surprised (and relieved!) to hear him encourage practitioners to move at a regular pace. Unlike many retreat centers where slow walking is emphasized, he pointed out that moving at our regular pace actually helps us integrate mindfulness into daily life more easily. In order to be mindful while engaged in activity, he encouraged us to keep 50 percent of our attention on the body or breath—common anchors on the meditation cushion—and 50 percent on the activity at hand, whether you’re talking, eating, or hiking. In other words, he was encouraging us to know what we’re doing, and to practice introspection or clear comprehension.
What introspection does is add to our mindfulness an element of understanding. For example, we are invited to know not only what we’re doing as we’re doing it, but also things like the underlying motivation we’re bringing to the activity and whether it’s skillful or unskillful—whether it will lead to harm or to benefit.
So, what does sati-sampajañña (mindfulness and introspection) look like in movement?
One October in Montreal, I was out running. The air was crisp, the leaves full of color, I felt rested and energized. It all felt so perfect, which led to the thought, “I could run forever.” Not long after, though, I suddenly noticed I was planning my route back home. There was enough mindfulness present to check in and ask myself, “What changed?”
I realized that I’d started running uphill, and the experience had become unpleasant. That tiny moment of mindfulness allowed me to recognize: “Oh, this is discomfort.” With awareness, I didn’t have to act on the urge to stop running and go home; instead I could choose to stay with it.
While Sayadaw U Tejaniya suggested we practice 50/50 mindfulness—50 percent mindfulness on our anchor of body or breath and 50 percent on whatever we’re doing—these percentages aren’t fixed targets. Depending on the activity and how much attention it requires, our target percentage might shift to, say, 25/75 or 60/40. We don’t abandon mindfulness of our anchor; we just adjust to changing conditions. For example, when the speed with which I move increases and I’m no longer able to track the subtle details of every movement the way I might in walking meditation, my mindfulness shifts to 25/75. That is, I’m aware of my breath or body to a certain degree, but I’m mostly mindful of the more global act of running: the sensations I’m feeling, the traffic, and the sounds around me. Similarly, when I lift weights, the effort demands my attention to prevent injury, so my mindfulness shifts to 60/40. When my movement is subtler, though, like when I’m doing the dishes after a meal, my mindfulness is closer to 50/50.
All this to say, mindfulness isn’t all-or-nothing. We can weave it into movement, moment by moment, adjusting how we apply mindfulness to different aspects of our experience depending on the conditions. So, whether you’re lifting weights, dancing, or taking a brisk walk, remember that mindful movement isn’t about perfection—it’s about practice. And the more we practice, the more natural it becomes to carry mindfulness with us, no matter where we go.
How to Practice Mindful Movement
If you’re curious about bringing more mindfulness into your movement, here’s a simple practice to try the next time you go for a walk, exercise, or engage in any physical activity. Play with your attention and explore what feels supportive.
1. Begin with Intention
Before you start moving, pause and acknowledge your intention to be mindful while you’re moving. Let this intention guide you. Commit to being curious, like you’re trying something new or having fun. Just watch what happens.
2. Tune in to the Body
As you begin to move, bring attention to your physical sensations, to cultivate both mindfulness and clear comprehension, or sati-sampajañña. What’s happening with your feet, legs, arms, and breath? Notice temperature, contact, movement. Don’t worry if your mind wanders—just gently come back to your body.
3. Experiment with 50/50 Mindfulness
As you move, occasionally check in with the quality of your mindfulness. How mindful are you of your body or breath and of the activity you’re doing? Get curious about how the changing conditions—the break between tennis sets or when you reach the end of your swimming lane—affect your quality of mindfulness.
4. End with Reflection
When you finish, pause again and reflect: What did I notice? What felt helpful? Not so helpful? This investigation helps strengthen the habit of mindfulness and can give insight into how you relate to your body and movement.
