Part 2: When Being Still Has No Chill: How Movement Heals When Stillness Feels Impossible

In my last newsletter, I shared why stillness can sometimes feel nearly impossible, especially when our nervous system is holding unprocessed stress or trauma. Today, let’s explore the flip side: the healing power of movement, and the lasting benefits when it’s paired with meditative practices.

 

The Power of Walking and Rhythmic Movement

When we’re upright and strolling - not running, not frozen, the body often feels safer. This is simple biology. The nervous system recognizes we’re not in danger, the eyes are free to scan the environment, and the body signals safety.

That natural side-to-side eye movement that happens while walking quiets intrusive thoughts and calms the nervous system. This makes space to meet what arises in the mind without it hammering away on repeat.

In my experience, it’s almost impossible to stay stuck in the past while the body is moving forward. On hikes of 30 minutes or more, my mind eventually tires of recycling fear and begins to open toward creativity, insight, and even joy - all on its own.

From Walking to Dance

Recently, I discovered somatic dance, and I’m now in training to become an ICF-certified coach. Rhythmic movement - shaking, swaying, stepping, letting the body find its own flow - has become another way to allow emotions to move through without overwhelm.

Research backs this up: simple left-right/cross-body, rhythms, whether through walking, dancing, or even the eye movements in EMDR therapy, regulate the nervous system and help release stress (Mehling et al., 2011; Van der Kolk, 2014).

In dance, as in mindful walking, there’s no demand to sit still. Instead, you give the body the rhythm and safety it craves. This can be a lifeline - a way to process fear and rediscover joy.

Lasting Change

One of the lesser-known benefits of walking meditation and rhythmic movement is their effect on memory and learning. Movement stimulates the hippocampus, the part of the brain that consolidates memory, and enhances neuroplasticity - the brain’s ability to form new connections (Erickson et al., 2011).

When paired with reflective practices like Inquiry, movement helps anchor insights in the body. Bilateral motion engages both hemispheres of the brain, supporting integration (Shapiro, 2017).

In practical terms, this means the fresh perspectives we uncover through Inquiry are more likely to “stick.” They become embodied truths, not just passing ideas. Many traditions have long known this, walking while reciting prayers, chanting, or reflecting on scripture has been used for centuries to imprint wisdom. Modern research confirms that coupling thought with movement deepens learning and helps translate insight into daily life (Oppezzo & Schwartz, 2014).

Meeting Yourself Where You Are

This is the power of a mind/body approach. The mind cannot override the body’s signals; energy is meant to move through us. If left unexpressed or repressed, our healing is incomplete. Movement settles the nervous system from the bottom up, while Inquiry trains the mind from the top down.

Together, they create a more sustainable path to resilience, clear mindedness and joy.

Through these practices, I've found that I can now sit for long stretches in meditation. Walking, dancing, Inquiry, stillness - they all feel equal to me. I’m grateful to have options that meet me where I am whatever the circumstance.