Latest / Student Of Life / S2E1 | Episode 16 Movement & Meditation w/ Devine
Transcript
- Tre: Welcome back for season two of Student of Life. Hi y'all, Trey here, student of life, and I'm joined today with Tim Mofi. And we have a special guest with us in the house. We have Devine: Yeah. Tre: Devonet. How are you doing today, Devon A? Devine: I am great, definitely ready for the evening to arrive. Tre: Alright, so the evening will be coming and you are Devonet and you are ready. Who are you, Devine: Yes, I am. Tre: Devonet? Who are you? I know you, but I don't think anyone else knows Devonet. Tim, do you know Devonet? Tim: I don't. I do not. Tre: Devon A, who Devine: Well Tre: are you? Devine: I'm a really quirky, funny, slightly introverted meditation yoga dance teacher from the Bay Area. I have fallen in love, I fell in love with movement about 35-ish years ago, and have been studying it with every ounce of my spirit. Found myself drawn to Southern California and ended up Being able to share my gift with so many people in ways that I didn't even know from the bay here, and then started growing my practice of movement and started teaching move meditations, started teaching meditation and sitting with friends in need. And I have just been really honored to come here with all of this lineage that I have, and I'm grateful to be able to share with the world. Tre: There it is. So once again, like I said, this is season two. So thank you very much for introducing yourself, Devon A, because season two, it's all about wellness, fitness, and finances. That's the three pillars. Yes, right? And that's and that's kind of Devine: Yeah. Tre: important, you know. our last season, season one, was focused on communication and mindset. Now we're getting into putting things into practice and I think that having subject matter experts at our disposal, like you, Devonet, I think that's very important. So thank you very much for wanting to join us here today. Devine: Absolutely. Thank you for having me. Tre: So let me go ahead and ask you, instead of asking why people struggle, you know, we're starting with how can people actually begin to change. That is really the biggest question and I think that in that question itself is the answer. Action. Action. Action. So one thing that you mentioned, Devonet, is meditative movement. I have never heard of meditative movement before. And I would love for you to dive into what that actually entails a little bit, if you don't mind. Devine: Yes, well, leaning into change and action and how to even know when these moments arise is change and action. And that comes into movement meditation. And I believe that we briefly spoke about it before, but I wanna kinda draw upon that. Even that moment of walking in a grocery store, looking to the right and to the left, and thinking about that recipe that you have. memorizing and reciting that recipe over and over in your mind, gathering those ingredients, that's a movement meditation. It's being in the present moment, remembering something that's near and dear, that can nourish you, and then focusing your energy in that moment through that movement andor motion. And it can be as simple as grabbing an avocado for that delicious salad. And it can go as far as a grand bat ma if you're in the middle of a floor and you're just doing that over and over again. So movement meditation can be anything that brings you present in the moment authentically and consistently. Tre: Hm. Now no, you said Grand Grandbot Ma? Okay. Devine: A grand batma, so that's a dance term. It's like a leg situation. Yes. A great exercise. Tre: Alright, alright. You know what? For any of our Tim: Fray, you haven't done those before? Tre: I do it all the time. I do it all the time. I just forgot the Devine: There we go. Tre: the the term. I'm horrible with names. You know this, Tim. I'm horrible with names. But you you know, it's it's really crazy because I think when most people hear the word movement, right, they're they're immediately picturing the gym, they're immediately thinking that you have to do these big extuberant movements to complete a movement. And what I'm hearing from you is that Devine: Yes. Tre: it's you really don't have to do big movements. Am I understanding that correctly? Devine: Yeah, that's a really great way of summarizing it. people are afraid of things like meditation and working out and doing something that is not in their normal way of operating, that it has to be perfect, it has to be defined, and it has to be this thing. And so most people never take the courage to do that. Thing. And what I've recognized is when I share with people, even opening up a book and reading a page or flipping the page or grabbing that avocado, if you're doing it with intention to be in the moment, that's a movement and that's meditation. And it doesn't have to be scary. And a lot of the students that I work with, because I'm also a student of learning myself, I'm constantly saying, Even pouring the water over my coffee in the moment, I want to be present with this moment because I don't get it back. And it helps center me. And if I can acknowledge that in every single thing I do, my entire day is full of movement meditation. My anxiety goes down. And I can actually approach things from a more holistic perspective, which helps. It doesn't always work, but when I bring it back to it, I typically can. It makes a huge difference in my deck. Tre: Hm. Tim, do you have any thoughts on that, man? Tim: No, I you know, I've I've done meditation of the past. I've done, you know, I I've gone to different types of yoga. I've done hot yoga, I've done, you know, all different types of things. So that's what I, you know, attributed the movements to. Yeah. I've Tre: In Tim: never thought about just the simple daily things that we do, but with the intention. And like you said, with the Devine: Yeah. Tim: books. That that's a whole nother thing of just, you know, you're enthralled in this book that you're reading and you're, you know, flipping page after page of just continuing on with a story 'cause you're you're hooked on the the storyline a bit. no, that's that that's a great way of thinking about all of these different things. Tre: You know, it actually kind of harkens back to one of our previous episodes where we said, you know, intent. Moving with intent. Devine: Yes. Tre: And without us even really knowing it, because these are just our own perspectives and our own thoughts that that that we're speaking, right? but it sounds to us that we're on the right track. So I know I get really down and hard on myself because I'm not the fittest. I used to be the fittest. I'm now forty three years old. And you know, I had noticed as I started getting older that my Time or the motivation, you know, kind of lessened, right? To to want to go Devine: Yeah. Tre: to the gym, wanting to go out there and run. And then I'm starting to get down on myself because I'm not as motivated or I'm not out there doing it as much. Devine: Right. Tre: And maybe it I shouldn't have really looked at me doing the same thing that I used to do when I was so young. You know, maybe I shouldn't have went into that spiral to now not really doing anything and getting stuck. Devine: Right. I I truly feel We are all in different seasons. We have these seasons where I'm incredibly motivated. I get up at five o'clock in the morning. It's this amazing day. And I feel great. It's sunny outside. And then two weeks later, I wake up, it's raining. I don't want to move. There's no food in my fridge, and all I have are a bag of cookies and all I'm gonna do is eat that all day. And both of those days matter. Both of those days matter. But what's beautiful is when you can find like, hey, I had that day where the cookies were really good. And I'm gonna be in the present moment with these cookies and every moment opening the bag, saying thank you to the cookie. Theoretically, that is a movement meditation. And that's not taking like a zero for the day. You are being in the present moment. You're checking in with how you feel. It may not be the desired feeling, but it motivates you to either have a little bit more fun with the moment. Or to say, you know what, my body actually really needed it today. A lot of people don't give their selves themselves a moment of you just need a break. I have seasons of breaks all the time. All the time. But I recognize that sometimes even just getting up and walking to that yoga mat and looking at it makes me feel okay. And those days when I get on it. It's still the same. It's just a little different. So I feel the same way you do, Trey. Like on the regular, just getting back to the fact that maybe I have this day, maybe I don't, but if you acknowledge it, then you're doing the work to know the difference. Tre: There it is. knowing the difference, knowing the difference, knowing yourself, identifying it, and like you said, move with intention, you know. I I think that, you know, this season is really going to help me. And I'm not going to speak for anyone else. I'm not going to speak for you, Tim. I'm going to let you speak for yourself. You're your own person. You're your own boss. You're a big boy now. Tim: Yes. Tre: But, you know, I think that this is really going to help. Me and I'm hoping that this season will help others to really grow and get out of that rut that they may see themselves in. If they see themselves in a rut, how can I get out of that and move forward? You know, I'm Devine: Right. Tre: I'm literally going to do that. So go ahead and follow my personal journey. tray Devine: Yay. Tre: the student, tray the student on Instagram. I'll be posting things on there, whether it's meditating, whether it's going and riding a bike, whether it's going for a walk, maybe not full on running yet, right? 'Cause I'm not there yet. And I I honestly despise running. I despise it. I I Devine: It has a time and a place. Yes. Tre: Deviday, you don't hear me. I despise it. They say you Devine: You're like, no. Tre: should never say hate, but you know, if it was a person Tim: If there's if there's a bear chasing you, or maybe a bison, I think that's a different story. Tre: Yes, I will make a I will Devine: Dyson definitely. Yeah. Tre: make a huge exception. I I don't want to be flipped over like the the grandfather, Tim: Yeah. Tre: right? anyway. But you know, in in in all seriousness here, you know, hopefully that, you know, my journey can help someone else. Tim, do you feel like, you know, this season may actually help you? do you feel like you need help at all? Tim: So I I'm gonna use this. So recently the other day, I ended up getting a new tattoo. It's an hourglass with So it's an it's Tre: short off. Ooh. Tim: an hourglass with a clock at the top and then it's got a skull at the bottom and it says time is limited. and it's just a reminder that Devine: Mm-hmm. Tim: all of our time is limited and that you know you shouldn't and and it's kind of in theme with a lot of my other tattoos of you know, don't live recklessly, but don't live so fearful of living that you don't wanna step out of your comfort zone or you don't wanna my thing is, you know, there's days where I don't wanna step out of bed. Or you know, I don't I wanna, you know, lay in there and get an extra hour of sleep or I just wanna like stay inside the house. I don't wanna go out and do anything. But at the end of the day, like I have to I have to find that motivation and like you said, Trey, like You know, going out and I think documenting that and and looking back at that and seeing where you started and watching your journey and your progress, like that helps you in the long run too. And you could help motivate others because I know that there's others that I've utilized for motivation as well within that. So I I think, you know, yes, absolutely. This season's gonna be a a big thing, both that mental motivation but also the physical motivation as well too. Tre: Yeah. And you know, Devonet, I know that this is your first episode with us, but I'm going to extend this olive branch out there. If at any time you're wanting to join us in an episode and we could possibly do some meditative exercises in the future, I we would be open to it. and you're welcome. Okay, great. Devine: I love that. I love that. Yeah, definitely. And there is one thing when you guys are both sharing, is there are certain steps in order to understand how you want to be intentional. And there are certain ways in which you can start doing these very consistent things to where the meditation just happens on its own, the motivation happens. Happens on its own. The why isn't answered by your behavior. And I really encourage both of you throughout the season to really recognize the small things. How do you like your coffee if you drink coffee? How do you like your tea? How do you like your water? Do you drink water when you first wake up in the morning? What are the first five things you do in the morning every single day? And once you start knowing those things about yourself, there's this rhythm and there's this mindful rhythm that starts happening that guides you to, you know what, I just want to take an extra five minute walk today because I had a great moment or a great morning of yeses. I woke up today. I did this today. And it continues with that mindful movement and I would love to join you guys throughout this journey of finding out what your things are so that they can be part of who you are as you discover your why and then they expand other things. Tre: Mm. That is awesome. the fact that you're willing to come along this journey with us because you know, I really do feel that it's hard. It's hard in today's day Devine: Yes. Tre: and age to simply be still, you know, be present, be in the moment. And we're we're so overloaded and bombarded with notification, notification. I gotta check my email. I have to check my text message. bing, bing, bing. Ooh the news, ooh this, ooh that, you know, and and we're and we're Devine: Yes. Yes. Tre: bombarded, you know, and the fact that we do have meditation that's out there, that has been out there for eons, right? Devine: Yes. Tre: Thank you. That's all I can say. I I don't wanna you know I don't wanna just I don't wanna just keep doom scrolling on talking, if that makes any sense. Devine: Well, and it and it makes sense because it there's a sense of comfort in it. It's discomforting to be with yourself. It really is. But once and I everybody always says it, once you get to love yourself, once you know yourself, then you can love others. And I had to learn how to be with myself. I really I did not know how. And I've been doing movement forever. But until about five years ago, five or six years ago, I didn't know how to sit. I didn't know how to bring joy into every moment consistently. I could do it, I could get there. But now, over the last five years, I've incorporated it into everything that I do. Today, I saw this fabulous woman walking, and she was just fabulous. And I had to say that to her. Tre: I have to ask you this question. How did Devine: Yes. Tre: you initially break out of that? Devine: Oof. I was tired of being tired of wasting time. That's what I was. I was tired of being tired. I was like, I should be doing this thing, and then the shoulds became the anxiety, and I was like, Wait, I'm just moving way too fast throughout this world and I'm missing out on the woman walking down the street or You know, my partner's kids doing the coolest backflip I've ever seen. And I'm like, I would have never paid attention to that because I was focusing on why I can't sit. And I said, Well, I'm not able to sit right now. Maybe my body wants to move. Maybe my body wants to move consistently. Maybe I can put on a rhythm since I am a dancer to consistently move in the same way. And my body really responds well to patterns. And I have a lot of engineer friends and they're like, Well, the world consists of patterns. Engineers look for patterns. And I said, Well, I look in patterns and that calms my soul. And so movement meditation just I started digging into it deeper and deeper because the movements for me calm my nervous system, bring me to the present, and I see the world in technicolor if I do it consistently. Tre: Okay. So here's one thing that I would ask for you really quick, Devon A, if you would like to take on this task. Can you give us one breathing exercise? And I want to do this one breathing exercise now because we're gonna break and go into our full package section. But I want to make sure that everyone who sees this on YouTube that they're able to partake in this. Are you prepared for it or would you like to do that? Devine: Yeah. Let's let's see what happens. Tre: Okay, okay. So we're gonna let you guide us, me and Tim, we're listening and following your instruction. Devine: Okay, I want you to take a big inhale and a big exhale. Find a gaze either in front of you or on the floor. You can close your eyes if you choose. Take a nice long inhale. And a big deep exhale as your shoulders roll down your back. Coming from your belly, that inhale going through the top of your spine up to the center of your head. And exhaling, allowing that light, that energy to relax your spine, relax your chest, relax your elbows. Continuing to inhale and exhale with the rhythm of your heart. I'll give you a few more seconds here. Swallowing. Slightly fluttering open the eyes and Finding your gaze in a big hit inhale and exhale as we re-enter our conversation. Tre: I wanna thank you very much for that. And I hope that anyone who is listening or who's watching found that to be beneficial as well. As we have said before, we are in season two, which is all about wellness, fitness and finances. We're gonna continue this episode over on the full package, which is up on Patreon. So if you haven't already subscribed and you're interested in listening to the full conversation, head on over now because it is up. And I hope to see you over there. Bye y'all.