✨What it takes to achieve magic ✨
October 2026
By Renée Tillotson
You may have noticed that we keep mentioning not just Mindful Movement, but also Moving Meditation these days. Do you ever wonder what this Moving Meditation stuff is really all about?
Let me open a window for you to peek into three others’ Moving Meditation experience as they each went through it alone… together!
It was a relievingly peaceful Friday night in the midst of all the moody tropical storms that had been rambling through our Hawaiian islands. Our Still & Moving Center community gathered for one of our signature musical evenings to honor a beloved young couple – Thuan and Eva – who are moving on to their next life chapter.
Over the last few years, we have evolved into a place where we prize and celebrate improvisation – in music, in comedic drama, and in dance. We love it! And sometimes that improvisation takes wings and flies. This time it soared!
As you listen to how this improvised performance unfolded, you’ll hear a number of signs of Mindful Movement along the way.
Three performers would be taking the stage: Dustin Hara (our General Manager) on the baby grand, Sarah Hodges (my Executive Assistant) on violin, and Andrea de Gruchy (our BeliRaq teacher) on her feet, dancing. None of them had ever practiced or performed together, and Andrea had never performed an unchoreographed piece to live music.
Intention
Andrea tells me that in dedicating her dance to the couple, she wanted to be authentic through improvization. This was her Intention for her Moving Meditation:
Dedicating my dance to Thuan and Eva, I gave myself permission to be present with my feelings and flow with my body.
Moving Meditation starts with an Intention. Without the Intention, the moving meditation has no launch pad to take off from.
Andrea’s intention takes a lot of nerve when you’re performing in front of an audience. It’s one thing to let your hair down at a party or club where everyone is just styling their own moves on the dance floor to whatever tunes happen to be playing. It’s another thing to walk in front of an audience for a musical blind date! Most people resort to something they know, they’ve practiced, they’ve polished.
Not Andrea. And not Dustin or Sarah!
Outcome Unknown
Dustin is a pro at letting it flow, fingers eagerly rippling across the piano keys, seeking out new tunes and new variations on familiar tunes. Andrea, meanwhile, had no idea of even the genre of music he would be playing. The only thing she could count on was that she would not be dancing to traditional Middle Eastern belly dance music!
This was the beginning of what my husband, Cliff, defines as an adventure: outcome unknown. And that, too, is truly one of the marks of a moving meditation: Once you commit to it, it can take on a life of its own, and you’re not sure where it will take you.
For violinist Sarah, their performance started like this:
Dustin gave me a nod to indicate “We are next”, playing an improvised piece for our bellydance teacher Andrea de Gruchy to dance to. A piano, violin, and a bellydancer. I don’t know if it’s been done before. We all arranged ourselves in front of everyone, and I checked with Dustin about what key we would play in. Then the three of us began.
Deep Listening
As I observed, Andrea waited for Dustin’s musical lead. I heard his piano ease into something lyrical, classical yet contemporary, with a tune weaving in and out that sounded almost familiar, yet uniquely its own, certainly not Middle Eastern. Andrea seemed to be listening with her whole body. Her hips began to sway, setting the rest of her body into motion.
Sarah sat quietly attentive, violin on her lap. Watching Sarah reminded me of my playground days with a long jump-rope. One child would be on each end, both turning the rope together. I would sway my body back and forth to get in rhythm with its timing before I ran in to start jumping in sync with them. Sarah awaited her opening in that same way.
Sarah comments:
With improvisation, as maybe with much of life, the magic comes from deep listening. Deep listening requires any prenotions to fall away. They don’t have any place here. Rigidity also goes out the door.
Now, deep listening – full receptivity to something higher – comes with the territory of Moving Meditation.
Patience
Sarah continues:
As the playing started, I listened openly both to the rhythm and piano playing from Dustin, and the breath and movement of Andrea. When the sound came to me, I lifted my instrument to join in. I find it’s often better to listen a little longer, and wait for the music to travel through me and reach my fingertips before I begin. It’s better not to rush.
Moving Meditation requires patience, waiting for the opening.
The addition of Sarah’s violin, gave Andrea more musical material to dance to. Her feet traveled across the floor, her arms and hands gracefully expressing the mood of the moment.
Non-Separateness
Dustin shares his experience:
At some point – as a performing group, whether it be art, theater, dance, music – I move beyond just a visual observation to where my playing fully immerses with the whole.
Here we see another sign of Moving Meditation: non-separateness, oneness with a larger whole.
Timeless Flow
Dustin continues:
There is this synchronicity, there’s connectivity that happens, to the point where I can see very clearly and feel and know where my fellow performers are going. I know what’s next. I’m able to anticipate and then in live time make those adjustments, in this case to the dancer’s movement.
Yet a further sign: pure, timeless flow. Moving Meditation is very akin to being in a Flow State.
Effortless Adaptability
Sarah reflects:
I listen fully, with no ideas or concepts of what is going to happen next. Playing with Dustin and Andrea, I could feel we all made this silent agreement, to fully let go of our individual aims, and dive into a collective flow springing from the heart of deep listening. Andrea moved with intensity, then smoothness and grace, fluidly through the transitions. I watched as my playing joined her, bringing weight and speed to my violin bowing for a moment, then diving into more melodic depths.
Moving Meditation allows effortless adaptability.
Observer Self
Sarah makes a keen observation:
Mostly there as a witness, I gave in to the moment and allowed myself to release into the shared river of sound and movement. Part of me just watched as my hands, fingers and arms moved, and the sound vibrated out of my violin.
We are fully aware of our Observer Self in a true Moving Meditation.
Revelations
Andrea describes:
As my dancing unfolded, I felt myself lean into the visual representation of what the rollercoaster of life can bring into Thuan’s and Eva’s next chapter.
During a Moving Meditation, revelations occur, especially connected to our Intention. Andrea had from the beginning allowed her mind/heart to open to Thuan and Eva, and that came straight through her improvised dance.
Andrea finished her solo piece and bowed before our guests of honor. It was magnificent! Then she invited them to join her on the dance floor as a little finale. So sweet.
When the evening came to a close, Andrea approached Dustin to express how elated she was to have danced unrehearsed and unscripted with live musicians – to dance from the inside out and just go with it.
Profound Meaning
Andrea exclaims:
Besides giving birth to our two sons, this was the most transcendent and unforgettable experience I’ve ever had. It was a deeply meaningful experience for me.
Profoundingly meaningful typifies the experience of Moving Meditation.
Beyond Mindful Movement
Dustin responded to Andrea:
Well, it sounds as if everything you’re describing is what we talk about and teach about. You went beyond just Mindful Movement. I think what you just experienced was a Moving Meditation.
Mindful Movement is just a precursor to Moving Meditation.
Andrea confirmed:
Oh my gosh. You’re right! That’s exactly it. I was in Moving Meditation.
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