The Power of Mindfulness Through Movement

The Power of Mindfulness Through Movement
How mindfulness practices can foster resilience, wellbeing, and a sense of community

By: Young Hee Yoo

Finding Calm in Chaos 

I have been practicing tai chi and other mindfulness-based physical activities for decades. I used to struggle with significant social anxiety and stage fright. I remember trying hard to mask the anxiety I was experiencing when I had to make presentations or even in meetings during which I had to speak in front of people. I immigrated to the United States in my 20s to pursue a graduate degree in social work. English is my second language, and I grew up in Korea until I moved to the United States. Having English as a second language working in an American environment likely compounded my anxiety issues, though I recall myself being an anxious child growing up in Korea.  

A decade later, my anxiety worsened when I moved back to Korea, my native country, with my American husband, who was a government employee. Shortly after returning to my native country, I joined the U.S. Army’s Adolescent Support and Counseling Service (ASACS) program (the same one I am still with today) to work with military youth on a U.S. Army base in Seoul, Korea. I enjoyed working with adolescents but found some aspects of the job quite stressful, such as running groups and making presentations. There were times I just wished to disappear because I was dreading the upcoming events and felt nauseous with anxiety.  

I may be an anxious creature, but I am also a strong-willed one with grit. Since practicing tai chi, I have been involved in some mindfulness-based physical activities wherever I live worldwide. I was introduced to Taekwondo for the first time in Germany when I transferred to Germany with the same program, ASACS. The Germans thought I would be a Taekwondo genius coming from the country of Taekwondo. Sadly, to their surprise, earning a yellow belt took me a year! I also got to practice Chinese tai chi at a German Taekwondo, which helped me transition to living in Germany. 

Discovering Mindfulness Through Movement 

Tai chi is meditation in action. It involves mindfulness practice. Mindfulness practice is so widely accepted and practiced these days. It’s a very familiar concept, yet it’s not easy to consistently put it into practice for results. Mindfulness practice involves paying attention to what we experience in the moment without judgment, instead with openness and acceptance of the feelings, thoughts, and physical sensations that visit us. So, commitment and discipline are required to see it work. The practice of mindfulness helps us become more aware of ourselves, others, and what’s happening around us, which usually leads to better decision-making and an increased sense of wellbeing and peace of mind.  

When I practice tai chi, I try to keep my attention on the movements and breathing I am engaged in—however, my mind chatters about all sorts of things, disregarding my good intentions. I continue with the movements while simply noticing the mind’s chatters without judgments, keeping my attention on breathing as if they are the most precious thing. And they are, indeed! As I continued with the practice by noticing and accepting my mind’s chatters, they started quieting down. Sometimes, I even notice chatters turning kinder and gentler with occasional thoughts of gratitude. 

Integrating Mindfulness into Everyday Activities 

Not everyone will get excited about taking up tai chi or other physical activities. However, if you already have physical activities that you regularly practice, I encourage you to try adding a mindfulness practice to your activities. It might help enhance your exercises with better outcomes and more enjoyment, eventually leading to greater peace and balance. Having regular tai chi practice, especially with others who share the same interest in tai chi, makes a difference in how I go about my day every day. Tai chi offers a community where I connect with myself and others by practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness research suggests that developing this capacity to observe ourselves and our surroundings with kindness has deep and nourishing effects on our wellbeing that ripple into our daily lives and communities.  

Why Mindfulness Matters 

Even if you don’t regularly participate in physical activities, you can still introduce a mindfulness practice into your daily life through daily routine. Every day, we shower, brush our hair, eat, walk, clean, etc. Anything we do, we can do mindfully. On days you feel cluttered in your head, it’s nice to try eating very slowly and savor every bite of your food. Start by simply shifting your breathing to quiet, deep breaths. You may find this helps quell anxiety and feel better grounded. It doesn’t matter what we do to come to the present moment, but to just enjoy being there in totality. Breathe, smell, hear, see, taste, and sense kindly. Namaste.