A Movement-Based Pedagogical Perspective on Mindfulness in Embodied Music Learning
Chiew Hwa Poon
Intersection of Psychology, Esotericism, and Cultural Development July 16, 2026 DOI: 10.4018/979-8-3373-8006-3.ch007 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Dalcroze Eurhythmics |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that mindfulness in music learning is cultivated through the movement-based pedagogy of Dalcroze Eurhythmics, where sustained attention to time, space, energy, and bodily sensation fosters an integrated relationship between musical response and awareness. Proposes that this embodied, experiential knowing constitutes a form of esoteric knowledge central to music learning and teaching. |
Abstract
Mindfulness and embodied learning have gained increasing attention in music research, yet mindfulness is often associated with meditative practices or well-being, with less emphasis on how mindful awareness is cultivated through pedagogical processes. This chapter explores mindfulness in embodied music learning through movement-based pedagogy, referring to Dalcroze Eurhythmics. Grounded in perspectives from embodied cognition and experiential learning, the chapter examines how musical understanding is developed through bodily awareness, movement, and attentive engagement rather than through verbal instruction alone. Movement activities central to Dalcroze pedagogy require learners and teachers to attend closely to time, space, energy, and bodily sensation; over time, this sustained engagement fosters an integrated relationship between musical response and awareness. The chapter further situates embodied music learning within the domain of esoteric knowledge by focusing on inner musical understanding. Such forms of knowing play a significant role in musical learning and teaching.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cites 10
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Exploring the past, present, and future of the mindfulness field: A multitechnique bibliometric review Frontiers in Psychology July 26, 2022
and 5 more in the library