Exersise Corner
Mind Body Exercise Corner
by Karla Vogelsang¹
¹Institute of Integrative Health Care and Health Promotion, School of Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, 58455 Witten Germany
How often do we take the time to pause for a moment and be fully present with ourselves and the person across from us?
Dyadic work is a mind-body intervention that involves an interactive exercise between two people; the exercise can be performed with a stranger or with someone you know. The goal of the exercise is to help participants reconnect more deeply with themselves and with others. The organization Momohoertzu e.V., has opened a small listening room in downtown Munich. There, people can participate in dyadic listening hours with trained listeners from Monday through Friday. Everyone and every story is welcome. However, with the right step-by-step instructions, the 12-minute exercise can be just as effective and easily carried out whenever and with whomever you like, creating a safe space for listening—where time, appreciation, and a sense of togetherness are shared—quite simply together with a partner.
Step-by-Step Guide: Dyad Exercise
Important before you begin: Both participants should adopt a non-judgmental, mindful attitude. This means that throughout the exercise, you should not interrupt your partner, ask for clarification of what has been said, maintain a neutral facial expression while giving your partner your full attention. Everything shared during the exercise must be treated as confidential and may not be discussed outside the dyadic exercise without the other person’s consent. The dyad exercise is characterized by a clear structure, making it easy to perform—no prior experience is needed.
Before the exercise begins, both participants should find a quiet place where they won’t be disturbed and get into a comfortable position. You can decide whether you´d like to do the exercise in person or digitally via a smartphone. If you decide to go with the digital version, you can simply use the Momo app. It’s easy to download from the App Store. The app will guide you through the dyadic exercise, or you can just set a timer yourself. Then the dyad exercise can begin. It begins with 1 minute of silence. As the name suggests, you and your partner remain completely silent for one minute. The goal is to find your center and truly settle in. You may keep your eyes closed or open during this time. Afterward, 2 ½ minutes are dedicated entirely to one person. Initially, this is either you or your partner. But don’t worry—everyone will take on both roles.
If you are the person who starts speaking, your partner will ask you: “What is demanding your attention right now, and how does that feel in your body?” Then you can answer. what you choose to share and how much detail you go into is entirely up to you. Please take this opportunity to tune into yourself and your body. Where do you feel the challenge, and what does that sensation feel like? Meanwhile, your partner focuses their attention on you, listens to you, and is fully present with you. Your partner adopts the attitude described above. This can also be conveyed nonverbally, for example through an open body posture and eye contact.
When the time is up, your partner asks:“What are you grateful for, and how does that feel in your body?” You then have another 2½ minutes to focus on gratitude, reflect on what you’re grateful for and explore how your body feels. Once that’s done, you return to one minute of silence. Then the roles are switched.
If you were the speaker just before, you now take on the role of the listener, and your partner gets to speak. The process remains the same, except that now, as the listener, you ask the questions. Your partner again has 2 ½ minutes to talk about what is currently challenging them and how that feels in their body, as well as what they are grateful for and how that feels in their body. Be sure to maintain a neutral, mindful, non-judgmental attitude. Once this is complete, end the exercise with another minute of silence, and the 12 minutes are over. Be sure to give it a try.
Efficacy
Loneliness is a growing problem in our society and is associated with psychological distress. In theory, it has never been easier to make connections and socialize, yet we are lonelier than ever. Science shows that dyadic exercises can help counteract this. Such dyadic exercises can reduce loneliness, and perceived social connectedness can be enhanced through the exercises (Matthaeus et al., 2024, Kok & Singer, 2017). In addition, dyadic exercises can lead to improved mental health, such as reduced anxiety and depression. Social skills like empathy, compassion, and resilience are also fostered (Matthaeus et al., 2024). Furthermore, there is evidence of a general reduction in the hormonal stress response attributable to dyadic exercises. As such, they may serve as a protective factor against psychosocial stress (Matthaeus et al., 2024).
References
Kok, B. E., & Singer, T. (2017). Effects of Contemplative Dyads on Engagement and Perceived Social Connectedness Over 9 Months of Mental Training: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA psychiatry, 74(2), 126–134. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.3360
Matthaeus, H., Godara, M., Silveira, S., Hecht, M., Voelkle, M., & Singer, T. (2024). Reducing Loneliness through the Power of Practicing Together: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Online Dyadic Socio-Emotional vs. Mindfulness-Based Training. International journal of environmental research and public health, 21(5), 570. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21050570
Matthaeus, H., Heim, C., Voelkle, M. C., & Singer, T. (2024). Reducing neuroendocrine psychosocial stress response through socio-emotional dyadic but not mindfulness online training. Frontiers in endocrinology, 15, 1277929. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2024.1277929