Some days it feels pretty great, to be in our body.
Some days we’d rather be anywhere else.
Some days it doesn’t feel like much at all.
Some days we just don’t pay attention.
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It was 4 years ago that I decided to spend 10 days in complete silence at a Vipassana meditation retreat. Since then, I’ve committed and re-committed, again and again, to this practice of noticing the sensations in my body. A daily, moment-to-moment practice of getting to know the feelings (physical or emotional) I experience.
When we can be present to what is – without running from it, without rushing through it – we can start to experience things as they are.
the joy, the anger
the pain, the excitement
the ease, the fear
the sadness, the connection
They all become sensations we can explore, get curious about, be still with, breathe with.
The stories and judgments we tack on to experiences and situations are the creators of our “positive” or “negative” reactions. We associate a “negative” connotation to certain sensations. We push them away or try to avoid them. Often it’s been useful in the past – maybe it wasn’t safe to be angry or sad or excited. And maybe it’s not so useful anymore.
Yoga poses are an amazing way to start connecting and being in our bodies again. It’s a place to experiment and practice experiencing sensations as they are, knowing that they arise, peak and dissolve. We can let them flow through us.
Try this practice to start reconnecting with your body (remember it’s a practice – be gentle and patient with yourself):
Choose 3 yoga poses that you know – one you love, one you feel neutral about, one you don’t like (if you don’t know what to choose – you can try Mountain pose, Cobra pose, Seated Twist)
Place your body into each pose and take 5 full breaths there. Ask yourself:
Where do I feel the pose in my body?
What sensations am I experiencing right now?
Are there any stories or judgment attached to the sensations?
After each pose, sit or stand still for 5 breaths.