Shin Tai Do – a moving meditation

I’d like to introduce you to a small but mighty moving meditation practice. My acupressure teacher Arnold Porter taught it to me over 15 yrs ago and I’ve been finding healthy perspective through it ever since. It’s so short but seems to encapsulate so much of this strange experience of being human. It is called Shin Tai Do and is a Qi Gong practice.

This is great for those who find sitting down to meditate too hard to fit in. Personally (and you can see by the shift in my demeanour from beginning to end of this clip) this helps move me from an on-the-go state to a more settled and tuned in state within the few minutes it takes to do.

Follow me in the first video until you have the gist of it. Then see below for a second step to create your own moving meditation.

Step 1: Shin Tai Do / I remember the place – a Qi Gong practice

Here are the written instructions:

Step 2: Create your own moving meditation

As you go over the form, listen inward to notice which phrases hold a charge for you. They may point to something perhaps you long for or find especially difficult.

Pause at the phrase that stands out for as long as you like, or repeat the same segment. Take in the words.

Used in this way it can become a moving meditation, an intention-setting practice, or prayer.

Play with it as it serves you.