Training Mindfulness in Movement with Dr. Tamara Russell

In this episode, I have the joy of interviewing Dr. Tamara Russell about how to practice and train mindfulness in movement. 

Dr. Russell is not only a neuroscientist and mindfulness researcher, but a clinical psychologist, and a martial artist with a black belt in Shaolin Kung Fu. She brings all of these perspectives to her mission of making mindfulness practices more accessible for more people, so that we can reclaim our attention, focus more on what really matters to us, and move our world forward in a positive direction.

You’ll hear about:

• working with movements of the body, movements of thoughts, and the movements of our emotions
• her progression from the “hard styles” of martial arts like Kung Fu to the internal martial arts like Tai Chi and Qigong
• how introducing mindfulness practices through movement can sometimes be a more trauma-informed alternative to sitting meditation
• the 4 stage neurocognitive model of mindfulness that Dr. Russell developed
• the key role of intention if our goal is to cultivate mindfulness through a movement practice.

We also talked about why learning mindfulness through movement can be a particularly effective method for people with busy minds, kinesthetic learners, and for those who identify as neurodivergent. And, we discussed the benefits of mindful movement for experienced meditators who wish to bring the wisdom of sitting practice more fully into the complexities of daily life.

Dr. Russell even offers a short guided practice during the conversation to illustrate the difference between being mindfully aware of the body vs. thinking about or visualizing the body.

Do be sure to check this episode’s podcast page on the website at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast to find the resources from this conversation. I have links there to some of Dr. Russell’s research and other resources, as well as the programs she mentions at the end of the episode.

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Guest Bio: Dr. Tamara Russell is a neuroscientist, author, clinical psychologist, martial arts expert and leading innovator in the well-being space. She has helped people all around the world transform their lives using her ground-breaking applied brainwise techniques for living well.

These applied translational neuroscience tools allow everyone the chance to make better decisions in line with their core values and live well.

With two PhDs and a black belt in Shaolin Kung Fu, Tamara's work integrates mind, brain and body in a totally unique approach to well-being and thriving that combines movement, neuroscience and creativity. Her three core programs include Body in Mind Training, Brainwise Mindfulness and The Dragon Way to Mental Wealth (and for Families and Young People - What Colour is Your Dragon?).

These programs have been offered across corporate, education, health and creative sectors, where Tamara teaches groups and individuals in the public and private sector how to thrive.

Tamara is involved in international research investigating how mindfulness changes the structure of the brain. She lectures in Neuroscience and Mindfulness at Kings College London. She is regularly invited to speak on Mindfulness around the globe, appearing both on stage, radio and on-line. This work informs her applied translational neuroscience approach to well-being.

Her organisation The Mindfulness Centre of Excellence was founded in 2011 after sharing the stage with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Sao Paulo, Brazil at a symposium exploring how ancient contemplative technologies can inform the challenges of modern living.

Tamara is the author of three books: Mindfulness in Motion, #whatismindfulness, and What Colour is Your Dragon?

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You can learn more about Dr. Tamara Russell on her website https://mindbodymot.com/

Find her books Mindfulness in Motion and #WhatIsMindfulness

You can also follow her on social media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtamararussell/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.tamararussell9150

For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

Lastly, you can follow the podcast (and Addie, the host) @addie_movedtomeditate on Instagram or Threads (for mindfulness, movement, yin yoga, and pictures of PNW nature and my adorable kitty, Mustache).