Eastern Movement Disciplines (EMDs) and Mindfulness: A New Path to Subjective Knowledge in Western Physical Education

Integrating Mindfulness into School Physical Activity Programming

“…The problems of mindlessness and the benefits of mindfulness have been identified in general society (e.g., Langer, 1989), in general education (e.g., Brady, 2008), and in physical education (e.g., Lu, Tito, & Kentel, 2009). For example, many people today-including our teachers and students-often feel compelled to rush, rush, rush or go, go, go, or to keep up with the rat race.…”

“…The integration of mindfulness in school physical activity programs can help children and youth rediscover the lost self, the inner self, or the true self, and to regain a balanced life (Lu, Tito, & Kentel, 2009). In contrast to the mainstream approach in the West that tends to take an objectivist scientific approach to the body-viewing the body "from the outside" as an "object" to be understood-mindfulness focuses on the subjective lived or qualitative aspects of experiences in physical activity (Lu, Tito, & Kentel, 2009). …”

“…However, people do not experience themselves or their bodies primarily as objects and, as such, the disconnect is unnatural. This type of practice reflects a narrow, exclusivist, and mindless approach to physical activity (Lu, Tito, & Kentel, 2009). …”

“…Mindfulness refers to the state of being fully engaged in the present moment, manifesting a here-and-now oneness, and not indulging ourselves in contemplation of the past or future (Francis & Lu, 2009;Kabat-Zinn, 2003;Lu, Tito, & Kentel, 2009). The natural counterpart of mindfulness is mindlessness; Langer (1989) has depicted its destructive nature from three aspects: 1) being trapped by categories that were created in the past; 2) operating under automatic behaviour (being unaware of what one is doing); and 3) acting from a single perspective that lacks any impartial objectivity or judgment.…”

“…In recent years, mindfulness has emerged as an explosive focus in research and practice in health and medicine (Didonna, 2011;Mars & Abbey, 2010). Despite its enormous potentials in the physical and mental health arena, there are very few studies that explicitly examine the use of mindfulness on school-related physical education or physical activity (e.g., Bain, 1995;Lu, Tito, & Kentel, 2009). This paper is intended to define what mindfulness is, to discuss why it is needed, and to illustrate how it can be integrated into school physical activity programming.…”