The majority of mindfulness activities are calm and quiet. But sometimes, when you’re too angry, anxious, or stressed, sitting still is the last thing you want to do.
“When we’re in fight-or-flight mode, our nervous system wants to do something…it’s wired for movement,” says mindfulness teacher and author Rosie Acosta. Stomping your feet, screaming in the car, punching a pillow, or enjoying a high-intensity workout are all valid examples of active mindfulness. “It can be loud. It can be sweaty. It can be shaking on your bedroom floor,” says Acosta. “The key is presence.”
While Acosta considers this sort of movement a prelude to the ultimate sanctuary of stillness, doing something active, embodied, and even aggressive with that energy (safe expressions only, of course) can feel like a revolutionary act in of itself.
“I think there’s something deeply healing about letting our energy move in a way that is bold, expressive, and a little wild,” says meditation teacher Dora Kamau. “There’s the physical release but also the freedom that comes from emotional expression.”
