Meditation amidst stillness is just one way to approach a mindful life. Meditation amidst action, a moving awareness, is also possible...
Move/sense is a movement meditation method, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the joy of our bodies through simple, flowing and spontaneous movement.
We use our awareness and imagination as a spark to ignite this movement, to foster a sense of connection and openness, for greater meaning in our lives.
Nearby and patiently waits the soft beast of our body, with its tides and sensations, its aches and needs, its wonders and challenges. It is our nearest wilderness, the bridge to the stars of our DNA and our vast, ancient mammal heritage.
For me, being just such a body, the discovery of that fact and the subsequent blossoming of meaning from it, has given me a place of solace in what is often called a crazy world.
Move/sense is a project of reconnection
The wider culture of the Western world at this time seems profoundly "anti-body" and "anti-human".
We spend our lives now feeding the triangle of digits-eyes-mind, captivated by the clever technological show, and turning from the greater show that is on offer.
My belief, my proposition is that we can inhabit and enjoy our human physicality, we can find a sense of meaning there, and that there are tools we can use to craft this meaning.
What I want to suggest is that we can be or become bodies of meditation: like bodies of water, providing a rich and fertile oasis to those who dwell nearby, summoning a wealth of wildlife and vivid activity to our shores.
Move/sense is a practice of championing slowness, immersion and sensation over performance or technique
About Me
Hello I’m Nick, and Move/sense is my project.
I work at the frontline of the homeless crisis in my small city. I live in a small, rented house practically under a railway bridge next to a busy road. I have a wife, and an eleven year old daughter. For what it's worth, I am firmly entrenched in this culture of ours, and I experience the stresses, doubts and anxieties that many folks face.
But it is there, dealing at work with the stragglers and left-behinds, raising a child and crafting a marriage, that I have discovered the value of the things that I have practiced: martial arts, movement, and meditation.
What I mean to say is: what interests me is a Way intended for a "normal" modern life.
What I wish to propose is a way of moving through life,for the purpose of, in the words of the late George Leonard, Aikido teacher and writer, "the creation of a more vivid peace", in which we awaken to the beautiful possibilities of an embodied existence.
I have been practicing the art of tai chi chuan since 2002, and teaching for fifteen years.
I practiced Zen Buddhism for several years and was lucky enough to walk the 88 temple pilgrimage in Shikoku Japan in 2008, a seven-hundred mile journey that had a profound impact on me. I went on retreat with Eva Wong, a Taoist adept, and Buddhist teachers Noah Levine and Vinny Ferraro . I have pursued training as a companion to the dying, and spent some time volunteering in our local hospice.
These days I am particularly interested in what has been termed "The Meaning Crisis" and the conversation around this, informed by thinkers, writers and movers such as Professor John Vervaeke, Paul Kingsnorth, Rafe Kelley and many others.
What we do
Move Sense is a way of creating movement meditation, for the purpose of greater connection and awareness.
We use simple moves rooted in tai chi and martial traditions, that can be used as a formal practice as an adjunct to our busy lives, but which can also be brought right into action throughout our day as a touchstone, inspiration and meaning-compass. We will be offering courses, writings, and film content intended to inspire and explore a moving meditation practice
Upcoming Events
with MoveSense friend Alex Tarling
MINDFUL MOVEMENT WITH QIGONG AND TAI CHI
SUN 28 SEP, 10.00AM – 11.00AM
Alex and Nick offer a friendly and fun exploration of awareness through movement, using wisdom drawn from Qigong and Tai Chi. This gentle mindful movement can improve balance and cognitive function, support strength, flexibility, and help you manage stress. No prior ex
MINDFUL MOVEMENT WITH QIGONG AND TAI CHI
SUN 28 SEP, 10.00AM – 11.00AM
Alex and Nick offer a friendly and fun exploration of awareness through movement, using wisdom drawn from Qigong and Tai Chi. This gentle mindful movement can improve balance and cognitive function, support strength, flexibility, and help you manage stress. No prior experience required, simply be willing to move and explore!
SENSORY GARDEN AT ST ANN’S WELL PARK
£6
Call 01273 322948 or Book ONLINE VIA LINK BELOW
Two dates are available, 28th September and 5th October., click on the link and select "other dates available"
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/awf/t-rpejnll
You can find Alex at https://www.alextarling.com/