Movement Is Medicine for the Body, Stillness Is Medicine for the Mind: Finding Balance
- Anca Alexandra Pasareanu
- Aug 26
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 11
Contents
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Introduction
I was in a middle of a power yoga class, sweaty but full of energy, when Travis Eliot said:
“Movement is medicine for the body. Stillness is medicine for the mind.”
It landed softly, but deeply. My body was moving, but my mind still king of a moving meditation. Something in me went quiet, like a truth that had finally been spoken aloud. It wasn’t just a line to close a class with — it felt like a quiet truth I had needed to hear to be reminded.
To be honest, I didn’t catch the full weight of the quote right away. At first, it just felt poetic — something nice to remember. But as the days passed, it kept echoing in my mind. I started to notice the ways movement was healing me, and the ways stillness — the kind that doesn’t come easy — was challenging me in unexpected ways.
I began to realize that in today’s high-speed culture, we often treat “movement” as the ultimate cure — signing up for intense fitness classes, chasing step counts, and pushing through exhaustion — without recognizing that stillness plays an equally vital role in mental health.
This is especially true when it comes to mind-body medicine through yoga, where the physical postures prepare the body for the mental and emotional clarity that comes from sitting quietly. The combination creates a holistic approach to wellness that addresses both physical energy and inner peace.
What Holistic Wellness Really Means to Me
I’ve always known that movement was good for me. You feel better after a run, after dancing in your kitchen, after stretching out the stiffness from too many hours at a desk. We say “blow off steam,” “walk it off,” “shake it out” — it’s part of our language because it’s part of being human.
But the idea that stillness could also be a kind of medicine? That was newer to me. And honestly, a little uncomfortable.
I come from a go-go-go mindset. Productivity was my comfort zone, and rest always felt like a luxury I had to earn. Stillness made me feel like I was falling behind, like I wasn’t doing enough. And yet, beneath all that movement, I often felt anxious. Drained. Disconnected.
That quote helped me see the imbalance.
Movement was healing one part of me — but stillness, the kind that asks you to stop, breathe, and be with yourself — was what my mind and heart were aching for.
The more I explored this idea, the more I understood that movement and stillness are not opposites — they are complementary forces. Movement supports the body’s physical health: improving circulation, strengthening muscles, and boosting mood.
Stillness supports mental health: reducing anxiety, improving focus, and helping us process emotions we often push aside. In holistic wellness, these two practices are like yin and yang, each containing a seed of the other.
For example, mindful movement (like slow yoga flow) contains elements of stillness in its intentional pauses, while deep meditation often involves subtle internal movement through the breath.
Why We Need Both Movement and Stillness
We live in a culture that prizes action. We’re always in motion — physically, mentally, emotionally. We’re chasing goals, responding to pings, trying to be someone and do something all the time.
This is the balance of movement and stillness practice we’re missing: honouring both active healing and quiet presence.
And yes, movement is powerful. It gets the blood flowing, releases endorphins, clears out the gunk. It helps us move through stuck emotions, and sometimes it’s the only thing that keeps us going when everything else feels heavy.
But stillness… stillness is where we meet ourselves.
It’s where we stop performing and just exist. It’s where the mind — which is usually darting around like a squirrel on caffeine — starts to settle. Not always right away. Sometimes it takes uncomfortable silence. Sometimes it brings up what we’ve been avoiding.
But over time, if we’re patient, stillness becomes a sanctuary. A place where we can hear what’s underneath all the noise.
Science even backs this up. Studies on the benefits of balancing movement and stillness show that physical activity reduces stress hormones like cortisol, while stillness practices — such as mindfulness meditation — increase activity in the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for rest and recovery.
Together, they form a complete mind-body wellness loop. This is why many yoga traditions end an active sequence with savasana (corpse pose): the stillness integrates the benefits of movement, allowing both the body and mind to rest in harmony.
Finding Stillness on the Mat
There was a week not too long ago when I was feeling almost burned out. I kept pushing through: early alarms, long workdays, workouts squeezed into the margins. I told myself I was being strong. That I was “handling it.”
But I wasn’t sleeping well. I was short with the people I love. My body was tight, but my mind felt even tighter.
One evening, I rolled out my yoga mat and sat down, planning to move. But I didn’t. I just sat there, cross-legged, eyes closed. I took a breath. Then another. And something softened in me. That moment illustrated stress relief through quiet movement and stillness — the mind-body medicine I’d been resisting.
I didn’t move for twenty minutes. I just breathed and noticed how tense I was. I didn’t try to fix anything. And yet, something inside me shifted — just from the stillness. It didn’t solve everything, but it reminded me I could stop trying so hard.
That experience taught me that sometimes, the most profound form of self-care is subtraction, not addition. Instead of adding another workout, another to-do list item, or another self-help podcast, I simply removed all stimulation for a moment.
This is a key principle in how to practice mindfulness through movement and stillness: knowing when to move your body to process energy, and when to stop moving so you can listen deeply to what your body and mind are asking for.
A Question I’m Sitting With
What would happen if I let stillness be as valuable as action?
What if rest wasn’t just a break from life — but a real, vital part of living well?
We talk so much about doing more, being better, achieving more. But what if the deepest healing happens when we stop trying to be more, and start just being?
Could we, perhaps, prevent burnout if we valued rest as much as productivity? Could mental health crises be eased if stillness was seen as a proactive form of care rather than a reactive one? These are questions I keep circling back to, especially when I notice how different my days feel when I create moments of intentional quiet.
In those moments, I’m reminded that movement and stillness are not competing forces — they’re two halves of a complete wellness strategy.
How I Practice Mind-Body Presence
I’m not trying to overhaul my life. Big changes rarely stick. But I am practicing mind-body medicine through presence:
When I wake up, instead of grabbing my phone, I take three breaths. And meditate for few minutes.
I schedule walks with no podcast, no music. Just me, the trees, and my feet on the pavement.
Once a week, I give myself permission to do nothing. Not as a reward — but as a ritual.
I remind myself that stillness isn’t laziness. It’s listening. And sometimes, the most important things can only be heard in the quiet.
I’m also exploring gentle, mindful movement practices that blend the two worlds — like tai chi, slow vinyasa flows, and walking meditation. These offer the physical benefits of movement while keeping the nervous system calm.
On the flip side, I’m experimenting with micro-stillness practices during busy days, such as closing my eyes for 60 seconds between meetings or practicing breath awareness before responding to a stressful email. These tiny adjustments are proof that you don’t need hours of free time to benefit from the balance of movement and stillness.
What This Practice is Teaching Me
Stillness doesn’t mean the absence of emotion. Sometimes it brings up more than I expect. But it gives me space to observe instead of react. It reminds me I am not my racing thoughts. I am not the panic or the pressure. I am the witness beneath it.
And movement — when it comes from a grounded place — feels like celebration. Not escape.
Now, when I move, I feel more connected to myself. When I’m still, I feel more at home in my life.
It’s like the yin and yang - where in yin we have a bit of yang and in yang we have a bit of yin. It’s balance.
Some days I swing too far into motion. Other days, I hide in stillness to avoid what’s hard. But each time I return to the balance of the two, I feel something in me realign.
This cyclical dance between action and pause has become my personal wellness rhythm. I’ve learned that listening to my body’s cues — whether they whisper “move” or “rest” — is the most reliable guide I have.
And in listening, I’ve discovered that sustainable health isn’t about constant intensity; it’s about consistent alignment with what you truly need in that moment. This is, perhaps, the deepest benefit of balancing movement and stillness for mental health: it teaches you to trust yourself again.
An Invitation to You
Where in your life are you moving too much, and where might you need more stillness?
Or the reverse — where are you hiding in stillness when it might be time to move?
Can you give yourself a few minutes today — to move your body gently, or to sit in silence and breathe — just to notice what it stirs in you?
It doesn’t have to be dramatic. It doesn’t need to be perfect. You don’t have to become a yogi or a monk.
But maybe, just maybe, there’s medicine waiting in the balance of yin and yang.
If you’re not sure where to start, try this simple practice: Spend five minutes in mindful movement — stretching, walking, or gentle yoga — followed by five minutes of stillness. Notice the shift in your breath, your thoughts, and your mood. Over time, this short ritual can become a powerful daily dose of mind-body medicine, helping you feel both energized and at peace.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of mindful movement combined with meditation?
Combining mindful movement and meditation for stress relief enhances both body and mind. Gentle yoga, tai chi, or walking meditation increases physical vitality while stillness allows for deeper mental clarity. This integration reduces burnout, improves focus, and creates a sustainable self-care routine.
What is mind-body medicine in yoga, and why is it important?
Mind-body medicine through yoga integrates physical postures (asana), breathwork (pranayama), and meditation to treat the whole self. Movement strengthens the body while stillness quiets the mind, offering a holistic path to emotional balance, stress reduction, and overall wellness.
Can stillness really be considered a form of self-care?
Yes. Stillness as a self-care practice allows the nervous system to reset, supports emotional processing, and prevents burnout. In the same way that exercise is medicine for the body, stillness is medicine for the mind—helping us rest, recharge, and reconnect with ourselves.
