The joy of movement

"A healthy person has a hundred wishes, but a sick person has only one"

I remember the first time I put my back out. I was - perhaps ironically - covering the Commonwealth Games for BBC Radio 1 in Glasgow, when I woke up one morning in spasm, unable even to do my shoelaces up. That episode passed quickly, but since then I have had numerous flare ups of increasing regularity and duration.

It reached a nadir in 2023, when I was basically in pain and out of alignment to varying degrees for the whole twelve months. Spending the previous couple of years sat down, often hunched over while writing my book for extended periods hadn’t helped. During particularly bad moments, my back adopted a rather alarming S shape (see below) which made even the simplest movements very uncomfortable.

I tried various osteopaths and physical therapists with limited success, and was being escalated through the NHS system to such a degree that surgery was being mooted. Fortunately, my path crossed with an 82-year-old Tai Chi Master who had been trained in what is known as traditional bone-setting in the 1950s who sorted me out in about three sessions with minimal fuss. (The guy is an absolute wizard - but that’s a whole other story for another time).

So this year, I’ve been running, swimming, playing tennis, hiking, indoor climbing and lifting weights without pain. To be able to get back to being fully active and feeling fit has been an absolute joy. Being able to move our bodies is something we often take for granted until we can’t do it any more - as this week’s podcast guest highlights - but on closer inspection, it is miraculous.

Let’s do a quick experiment that can illustrate this point with minimal effort. Hold your hand up for a second, and wiggle your fingers. How do you actually do that? We have no idea! It just… happens.

Being able to express the miracle of existence through movement is such a gift. Whether losing ourselves while dancing, playing a sport like tennis (traditionally my ‘happy place’), going for a calming walk in nature, or even getting frisky - movement is good for mind, body and soul.

Just to add: I also love doing bodywork, particularly TRE (trauma/tension release exercises) which are amazing for getting rid of blocked energy in the body and returning us to a calm homeostasis. It is such a powerful (and easy to do) modality to release old traumas, restore sensitivity to the body and even help the awakening process too. You can watch a video of me doing TRE with its founder on my youTube channel here (it looks a bit like an exorcism), and please subscribe to my channel while you are there - particularly if you are into mind expanding and enlightening content).

My parents are both nearing their 80s, but they are in bloody good nick, thankfully. That stems in no part from the fact that they are both sporty and have always been active, and tend to get in an average of well over 10,000 steps a day (mostly on the golf course latterly). Compared to many other people of their age, they are incredibly sprightly - which tallies with that saying ‘use it or lose it’. I see so many ageing people who seemingly accept the idea that advancing years and immobility inevitably go hand-in-hand, but that really doesn’t need to be the case.

Which brings me to this week’s podcast episode, with social media sensation and mobility maestro Adam Richardson, whose life was transformed when he contracted meningitis, twice - and ended up in intensive care. When he was released from hospital in one-piece, he had an epiphany and completely changed his life, ending up becoming one of the most in-demand movement speacialists around.

What I love about Adam’s work is that he emphasises mobility over aesthetics. In an age when body image issues are rising, reportedly on account of the ideals foisted upon young people in particular by social media, I find this a welcome change. Sod the six-pack, it’s about being able to enjoy the miracle of movement as long as possible. Because, as Adam wisely points out - ‘one day we are going to look like a soggy tea-bag - if we are lucky enough to live that long’.

In this episode, you'll also learn practical exercises that can prevent injury and keep you moving freely for life. Adam's journey from near-death to mobility mastery is packed with insights you won’t want to miss. So many people have body hang ups, but it’s the only body we’ll ever have, so it is bonkers not to treasure it for as long as possible, and not get fixated on how it may or may not look to other people.

Don’t miss this episode, and please share it—because being able to move our bodies is one of the greatest gifts we will ever have. And if you’re currently dealing with an injury that won’t budge and you’re in South West London or somewhere along why I call the A3 corridor, get in touch—I might know just the person to help!

Work with me 1:1 for personalised mentoring grounded in non-dual understanding, designed to reduce psychological suffering and guide you towards freedom, flow and A New Way of Being. Visit simonmundie.com to learn more or email info@simonmundie.com to get the ball rolling:

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