Mindful (meditative) movement is physical activity paired with conscious awareness. It’s about bringing your attention to what you are doing in the present moment—noticing breath, balance, sensations, and body movement.

Health & Safety

• Consult your doctor before starting any new movement or exercise routine.

• Always respect your physical limits, modify movements as necessary, and seek qualified professional direction when needed.

• Familiarize yourself with safety practices and potential risks related to mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and tai chi.

Core Elements

This page outlines movements and sequences used in my practice and sessions with others, drawing from stretching, yoga, qigong, and tai chi (my personal practice also includes sun salutations). Despite differences in origin and philosophy, these disciplines share common pillars:

• Breath Awareness & Body Alignment: Using conscious breathing and intentional posture to ground focus.

• Inner Stillness & Relaxation: Releasing physical tension and quieting a busy mind through gentle motion.

• Flowing Movement & Coordination: Cultivating balance, ease, and dynamic movement at your own pace.

• Mind–Body Integration & Awareness: Bringing full, present-moment attention to movement rather than operating on autopilot.

Whether you use them for simple daily stretching, present-moment grounding, or personal spiritual practice, these adaptable movements can be tailored to fit your personal practice.

There are many books, articles, videos, and websites for mindfulness and meditation, yoga, qigong, and tai chi (YouTube, Udemy, websites, etc.).

Be mindful of your limitations with any of these practices - adapt them as necessary based on your abilities and seek expert/professional guidance if needed - be cognizant of risks associated with mindfulness practices (risks of mindfulness​) (risks of meditation​) (risks of yoga) (risks of tai chi).

Video links are included below with Eight Pieces of Brocade (video), Tai Chi Fit Flow movements (video)(click on FLOW Workout)*, 18 Form Tai Chi Qigong Shibashi Set 1 (video), Tai Chi 24 Form (video), and some illustrations are also below.

Warm Up

Arm swings (side rotations, lifts, cross chest), wrists and fingers, hip rotations, knee bends, squats, leg swings, shake legs/ankles, swing legs, weight shifting (side to side)

Movements

Balancing- weight shift, add leg raise, forward leg raise, ankle raise/ rotation, lateral leg raise, tree, single leg squat

Heaven and earth, sink chi (interspersed throughout)

Deep Breaths

Neck movements (forward and back, side to side, tilt, roll)

Shoulder rolls, shoulder shrugs, add hands

Hands to heaven, push walls

Side bends (static, dynamic)

Torso twist, spinal twists (rotating hug, kidney-shoulder touch)

Swim, hug tree/sink chi

Paint the wall (single hand), wind blows willow tree (two hands), sway like palm tree (two hands)

Open curtain

Thrusts (forward, side)

Bend bow shoot arrow, lawn mower

Circles

Cloud hands

Accordian

Windshield wipers

Row boat

Toss balls/ cast cares

Fly like bird

Tai Chi Basics

Wuji, taiji, shift weight, circles, cloud hands, push water/ push waves, brush knee/push hand, part horse’s mane, grasp sparrow tail, single whip, maiden works shuttle, play lute, white crane spreads wings, lift heaven push earth

Sequences

Eight Pieces of Brocade (individually or sequentially) (video): 1. Push Heaven 2. Bend Bow Shoot Arrow 3. Separate Heaven and Earth 4. Owl Gazes Backwards 5. Bear Sways 6. Punches 7. Kidneys to Toes 8. Bounces

Tai Chi Fit Flow movements (video)(click on FLOW Workout, 52:37)

* (if you want to purchase the Tai Chi Fit Flow Workout on Udemy, wait for a discounted price or add it to "wishlist" until it's discounted)

​Tai Chi Sequences 1, 2, 3

Sequence 1

Block, brush knee push hand, cloud hands, up block/thrust (maiden works shuttle), white crane spreads wings

Sequence 2

Part horse's mane, block, needle to bottom of sea, cloud hands (x2), transition, lift heaven push earth

Sequence 3

Part horse’s mane, grasp bird tail, push (x2), small transition, white crane spreads wings, pinwheel or play lute, block, brush knee push hand

​18 form Tai Chi Qigong Shibashi Set 1 (video) (opening form, opening the heart, paint rainbow aura, separate clouds, repulse monkey, row the boat, cast cares upon sea, gaze at moon, pushing palms, cloud hands, one with sea and sky, push waves, flying dove, punches, flying goose, dharma wheel, cross lateral knee and heel raises, balance and store chi)

Tai Chi 24 Form (video at end of article)(opening form, part horse's mane x 3, white crane spreads wings, brush knee push hands x 3, strum (hold) the lute, repulse monkey x 4 (stepping backward), grasp bird tail, left (ward off, roll back, press, push), grasp bird tail, right (ward off, roll back, press, push), single whip, cloud hands, single whip, high pat on horse, right heel kick, double punch to ears, left heel kick, snake creeps down and golden rooster stands on one leg, left, snake creeps down and golden rooster stands on one leg, right, maiden works shuttle, both sides, needle at bottom of sea, fan through back, turning body, parry and punch, apparent close up, cross hands, close stance

Closing

Heaven and earth, sink chi, deep breaths, standing pose

Meditation (breath focus, body scan, progressive muscle relaxation, visualization, lovingkindness/metta, etc.)

Illustrations of stretches/yoga, 8 pieces of brocade, 18 form, 24 form:

Stretches/ Yoga

Eight Brocades

Mindful (Meditative) Movement