Reconnecting with Your Body

Being alive means being born into infinite time, carried in a body that has been billions of years in the making. The body is our vehicle for experiencing aliveness; our interface between self and other and between consciousness and the universe. I’ve heard the body called a “meat suit,” and I find that insulting to both meat and to the body. Both meat and the body are sacred, unique expressions of the universe. Our bodies are holy vessels, miraculous in every sense. And yet, somewhere along the way, we’ve forgotten this knowing.

We can find understanding in the disconnection we experience by studying how culture has led us astray. The dominant stories we’ve inherited from our mythology, religion, philosophy and science tell a story of separation. A separation that leads to the very center of our being, a separation from the body. We’ve inherited stories of fear, that teach us the body must be controlled, tamed, shaped, and disciplined in order to be valued. The body has been made into an object of comparison, objectified and devalued. Meanwhile, the rationality and the mind have been pedestaled above the body, as if the two could ever be separate. But the truth is simple: body, brain, and heart are one. Spirit flows through our blood. The sacred center is here and now, always found in the body.

Beyond cultural conditioning, we each carry our own personal reasons for creating a disconnection from our body.  Trauma, shame, unmet needs or life experiences that were too much, too soon, too fast can all lead us to disconnect. Many of us learned to survive by living from our minds.  Luckily, no matter how numb or disconnected we find ourselves, the choice to reconnect is always available. It is never too late to turn toward ourselves.

The body and spirit are always present, waiting and welcoming our return.

Practices for (Re-)Connection

Despite the body’s complexity, reconnection doesn’t have to be complicated.

GRATITUDE

Gratitude shifts perception, it can move us from negative to neutral This re-orientation creates space for a new relationship with the body to emerge.

No matter what shape the past has taken, gratitude allows us to recognize what is real and true about the body: trillions of cells form our blood and bones, organs orchestrating life without our conscious control. When we pause to acknowledge this, awe can begin to replace judgement and criticism.

BREATH

The breath is a key to the body we all hold. When we place attention on the breath, our awareness lands directly in the body. From this place, we can meet the breath, each inhale, each exhale and the sensations they create.  A simple noticing of the breath is always possible. Your body is always available to receive the attunement of your presence.

SENSATION

Sensation is the language of the body. When we notice sensation, we begin relating the body: listening, attuning, connecting.  You can start simply by noticing your hunger and thirst. Next, invite in curiosity and deep listening, what shapes, textures or temperatures do your body’s signals make? Do you listen and respond? Meeting the needs of your body’s sensations builds further connection with the body.

SELF-TOUCH

Self-touch can be a deeply soothing practice. Placing your hands on your heart, your belly or stroking your arms and face, there is no wrong way to do it. Offer your body touch in whatever way feels pleasurable, comforting, or simply good. This type of touch can help to create a sense of safety that is life-giving and opens the body to connection.

There is no wrong way to re-connect with your body.

Try one of simple practices today and let yourself notice how simple connecting can be.

Play.

Experiment.

Be devoted and the relationship with your body (and yourself) will flourish.