Episode 16: Returning to Joy Through Movement and Meditation
💫 Episode 16: Returning to Joy Through Movement and Meditation
There are days when being human feels like a lot.
The emotions, the responsibilities, the constant noise of the world—it can all feel heavy and confusing. In those moments, it’s easy to forget that on a soul level, each of us chose to be here. We said, Yes. Send me. I’m ready to do the work. I’m ready to embody my soul.
For me, the two practices that bring me back to that remembrance—again and again—are movement and meditation.
They are how I return to compassion for my human experience, reconnect to my soul essence, and remember that joy is always available to me, even on the messiest days.
Why Meditation Matters (Especially When Life Feels Messy)
Meditation, for me, is not about becoming some perfectly still, perfectly peaceful person.
Meditation reminds me:
That I chose this human journey
That my soul came here to embody love, consciousness, and truth
That even when life feels chaotic, my essence is whole and unbroken
Meditation brings me back to the deeper truth beneath the noise:
You are a soul in a human body.
You are not your stress, your to-do list, or your old stories.
And even if stillness doesn’t come right away—even if your mind is racing—that is the work. Meditation isn’t about judging where you are. It’s about meeting yourself exactly as you are and loving yourself there.
Why Movement Comes First
Before I sit in meditation, I move.
I’ve learned that movement prepares my body for stillness:
It clears out stuck energy
It releases emotional weight
It gets the chemicals flowing in the brain
It helps my nervous system settle
When I move—whether it’s a walk, a workout, a dance session in my kitchen—I’m not just “exercising.” I’m releasing. I’m letting go of the energy I’ve been carrying so that when I finally sit in meditation, I’m not fighting against all that stored tension.
Movement says to the body: You’re safe. You can soften now.
Body, Soul & the Pain of Separation
Here’s something I deeply believe:
Your soul is never in pain.
Your body is where the pain shows up.
The suffering begins when we feel separate from our soul—when body and soul aren’t integrated. Our soul always knows the truth:
You are enough.
You are love.
You are lovable.
You are never “too much.”
But when we forget that truth, when we move through the world disconnected from our essence, the body often speaks up through discomfort, tension, or pain.
Movement and meditation help heal that divide:
Movement releases the energetics stored in the body
Meditation reconnects us to the divine and to our soul’s wisdom
Together, they help us embody our soul essence in a real, grounded, everyday way.
“I Don’t Have Time” – Moving Through the Resistance
Let’s be honest: movement and meditation can feel like big asks.
You might think, I don’t have time. I’m tired. I have too much to do. I don’t know where to start.
I get it. I’ve been there. My clients have been there too.
Start Small With Movement
You do not have to start big. Try:
A 15-minute walk
Gentle stretching
Dancing around your living room
Here’s what often happens in a 15-minute walk:
First 5 minutes – You feel pretty good. “Okay, I can do this.”
Second wave – The resistance kicks in:
I don’t have time for this.
I should be doing something else.
What am I even doing?
Third wave – If you stay with it, something shifts.
Your body opens, your energy lifts, and suddenly you want to keep going.
The magic is in getting through that second wave. That’s where your old patterns live. That’s where your body is deciding whether to stay stuck or open up.
Start Tiny With Meditation
You also don’t need to start with 20-minute meditations.
Begin with:
30 seconds of conscious breathing
Then try 2 minutes
Then move to 5 minutes
Eventually, your body and soul will ask for more
Two minutes of presence can calm your nervous system. It’s like telling your whole being: I am here with you. I’m not abandoning you.
Before you know it, you’ll catch yourself saying, I can stay a little longer. This feels good. I want more of this.
Joy as a Companion, Not a Destination
Joy, to me, is not just a feeling. She’s a presence.
Joy is my woman. My companion. My guide.
She walks beside me, reminds me who I really am, and invites me to play.
Movement and meditation are how I return to her.
When I’m connected to joy, I:
Feel more love for this body that carries me
Feel more compassion for my humanness
Feel more openness to life itself
And when you’re in a state of joy, creativity flows. Opportunities show up. The universe seems to say, Let’s have some fun. Watch what I’m about to bring you.
Releasing Old Stories & Choosing Presence
Movement and meditation don’t just help you feel better in the moment—they help you rewrite your story.
These practices support you in releasing:
Old narratives of victimhood
Patterns that keep you small
Loops of “not enoughness”
Obsessions with the past
When we are present in our bodies and connected to our soul, we’re not stuck in yesterday. We’re here, now. And from that place, we can receive guidance, healing, and inspiration.
This is conscious living. This is being awake.
A Small Daily Devotion to Your Soul
Think of movement and meditation not as tasks, but as daily love notes to yourself.
15 minutes of movement
2–10 minutes of meditation
That’s all it takes to say:
I love myself. I honor my body. I welcome my soul.
From there, loving others and loving life becomes more natural, because you’re no longer giving from depletion, but from a fuller, truer place.
Imagine If We All Did This…
I truly believe that if everyone on this planet meditated—even for a few minutes a day—our world would be a more compassionate place.
It starts small:
Two minutes of breathing
Fifteen minutes of walking
One conscious choice to move toward joy instead of numbness
It starts with you, remembering who you really are:
A soul embodied in human form.
Here to experience, to feel, to create, and to love.
Your Invitation
If this resonates with you, I’d love for you to:
Like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who needs a gentle nudge back to themselves.
Visit collectiveguidance.com if you want more support around movement, meditation, and working out in a way that honors your soul and your season of life.
Email me and tell me your story. I want to hear how you’re weaving movement, meditation, and joy into your human experience.
🎧 Listen to the full episode on:
Spotify, Apple Podcast, YouTube, Amazon
With love, peace, movement, meditation, and most importantly—joy—
Charla ❤️
