Movement meditation: A creative movement approach

This meditation series hosted by the Contemplative Studies Centre will focus on embodied movement as a pathway to presence. Through mindful engagement with the body and breath, we will develop trust in embodied wisdom, allowing our intuition to activate and inspire movement. No ‘set’ movements will be taught - instead simple, physical instructions enhanced by music will invite participants to move their bodies intuitively and creatively. By placing our attention on the body and breath, the mind-stream slows and Being integrates with Doing. Through the alchemical process of embodied presence, inner life and outer expression align, allowing authentic movement to unfold. As we let go into the flow state, joy, beauty, ease and vitality can all be discovered.

This work will be led by Anne O’Keeffe, Founder and facilitator of Alchemy Dance, a conscious creative dance class seeking to honour the expressive body, liberate creativity and cultivate community. Anne invites students to bring kindness and compassion to every moving moment, and she provides a warm, generous space where movement can be explored with ease, vitality and joy.

What to expect

This series requires no formal movement training - only curiosity in the sensing, feeling, moving body. These guided movement meditations will lead practitioners into an exploration of embodied presence through simple physical practices, enhanced by music - with both inviting an authentic movement response. These practices aim to integrate mind, body and heart, bringing calm, grounded presence into daily life.

During each themed session, there will be two guided movement explorations, with journalling in between. Journalling will be used to describe feelings, sensations and thoughts arising from the movement, encouraging integration of body and mind.


At the end of each session, there will be time to discuss our experience, ask questions, and deepen our understanding. The key focus will be on guided movement meditations exploring Alchemy techniques, allowing the practitioner to experience embodied presence from a creative perspective.

Materials required

For some of our movement experiences, you will be invited to begin by lying on the floor. If you are comfortable doing this, you may like to bring a yoga mat to lie on. Please also bring a journal or notepad and pen to all sessions.

Program outline
The first session will provide a short overview of the Alchemy work and will be recorded. Subsequent sessions will focus more on the guided practice, and will not be recorded.

This guided meditation will run online via Zoom every week from Thursday 3 August – Thursday 24 August, 2023. Please register once to indicate your attendance throughout the series, or register for the individual sessions you plan to attend.

Please note:

You can learn more about this tradition on the Contemplative Studies Centre website.