At Splendid Spoon, we want to make the mindfulness world accessible. Whether you find mindfulness on your yoga mat, running, dancing, or doing jumping jacks, we encourage it! Strengthening, healing, and nourishing your body & mind is central to our philosophy. This month, we’re talking to our favorite wellness experts about what mindful movement means to them.

Today we asked four women who work with Gibney Dance — whose mission is to bring the possibility of movement where it otherwise would not exist — about what mindfulness means to them. Louise, Ali, Meredith, and Sam are contemporary freelance dancers, based in New York.

Splendid Spoon: What does mindfulness mean to you?

Louise: To me, mindfulness can be found in the little things. Whether that’s taking a moment to breathe when I’m on the train in this hectic city, or zoning out and listening to some of my favorite music. I find mindfulness in those calm moments where I can create space for myself.

Sam: I think of mindfulness as a way to be truly aware and present in the moment. Something that I am working on is remembering the name of everyone I meet [we love this as a way to stay present to every interaction! — Ed].

Meredith: I find mindfulness in food and what I’m eating [our favorite mindful practice too! — Ed.]. Taking care of myself and tuning in to what nourishment my body needs requires mindful attention. Even the tone and the setting of how you consume every meal can be a really powerful mindful moment.

Ali: To me, being present and mindful can mean something different on any given day. It’s all about listening to your body and knowing how to treat it. For example, one day I’ll just need to do some simple somatic practice, and the next I’ll need to go for a run to invigorate myself! Being mindful means being constantly aware of what I need from myself.