REFLECTIONS- Movement is Healing

REFLECTIONS

Movement is Healing 

by Daoshing Ni

As I walked through the woods in the early morning on a winter’s day, I sensed that there was much happening in this part of the forest. There was a cacophony of harsh wind rattling branches as oblivious squirrels minded their own chases. I realized that it is not just that morning that much was happening, but every day something is always happening. The movement and changes in the forest mimic the rhythm of the universe. In fact, the universe never rests; it is in constant motion. All of our lives are in constant change and motion; even death is not a sense of ultimate quietness, but it is an ongoing process of change and transformation.

Our body imitates the dance of the universe where there is no stillness, even when we are sleeping. As we sleep, our consciousness becomes quieter, but many parts of our body are busily repairing, maintaining, and getting us ready for the next day. Even though our body sometimes appears to be quiet on the surface, it is healing in motion. To be clear, we can only heal while our body is in motion, so because that is the case, it might be a good idea for us to also learn how to move well during the waking hours so we can heal well continuously.

Obviously, when we are injured, there are certain movements we need to avoid so that our internal mechanisms like blood supply and our immune response can allow inner healing to take place. There is a great deal of internal change and movement that we cannot see and take for granted. What we do on the outside can aid in the healing process. But, also how we move with our body, how we move through our everyday lives, how we move in our minds, how we move through our emotions, and our work, and our existence all play a role.

Blockage and stagnation are the enemies of healing. Anything that might slow us down or prohibit us from movement can damage our long-term health. Lack of movement can include a sedentary lifestyle, prolonged sitting, obesity, emotional blocks, chronic stress, and many others. In this season of Water, remember that when the water is still, it will become a swamp and collect mosquitoes―we need to keep our water in regular motion for it to remain clear.