Exercise as Meditation

Yoga is a good example of exercise that is meditative. Or rather, it’s the other way around: yoga is more like meditation that is also good exercise. Or at the very least, when we talk about yoga as exercise, we’re usually referring to the āsanas (i.e., poses) and vinyāsa style yoga (i.e., sequences of poses) that are part of the practice. But yoga is much more than that. It’s a philosophy, a way of life, a spiritual practice. And it’s all of these things at once.

This post isn’t so much about yoga, but rather about other types of exercise being similar meditative experiences. In my case at least, I don’t think I became fully aware of the connection between exercise and meditation until I started learning yoga. Reflecting on past experiences, I know now why I always really enjoyed long distance running and cycling, because they are very much conducive to meditative experiences.

Exercise has a lot of wonderful benefits, and those benefits compound over time and have long lasting effects, even after you stop exercising. Generally speaking, however, regular and consistent exercise is better than sporadic and inconsistent exercise, even if the intensity is lower. Regular exercise helps you stay in shape, and exercise is more enjoyable when you’re in good shape.

Unfortunately we live in a world that promotes laziness, inactivity, and hedonism (i.e., overeating, overdrinking, and overindulging in general). While there’s no shortage of people singing the virtues of exercise and eating well, in practice it’s difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

I think when you shift your mindset about exercise in general, and think of it less as work and more as a sensing, feeling, mind-body experience, it becomes easier to maintain. I look forward to my daily exercise routine, and I feel like I’m missing something when I don’t do it. I generally don’t take rest days, but I adjust intensity as needed based on how I’m feeling by listening to my body and giving it a rest when it needs it.

I also generally prefer forms of exercise that you can do anywhere with minimal gear. If you need a membership to a gym, or have to buy a bunch of expensive equipment, or need to travel far and wide to find a good place to exercise, you’re less likely to stick with it.

Routines are key to maintaining mental and physical health, in addition to the exercise and diet itself. Rather than thinking about exercise and meditation (for example) as two separate activities, it’s worth exploring how they can be one in the same. Yoga is great, but it’s hardly the only option.