An embodied exploration of how body and mind influence one another.
We often talk about the mind and body as though they are separate. Yet our experience of the world is always embodied.
Our thoughts, feelings and emotions are experienced through the body, and what is happening in our bodies can influence how we feel and think. A tense jaw, a quickened heartbeat, a feeling of heaviness or a sudden impulse to move can all be part of how we experience ourselves.
We don’t always notice these connections. Sometimes we are so caught up in our thoughts that we lose touch with what is happening in our bodies.
This simple exploration invites you to pause and notice.
Begin by noticing
Find a comfortable position, sitting or standing.
Take a moment to notice how your body is supported.
Perhaps notice your feet on the floor, the weight of your body in the chair, or the movement of your breath.
You don’t need to change anything.
Simply ask yourself:
What am I noticing in my body right now?
There may be a clear sensation, or there may be very little to notice. Both are perfectly okay.
You might notice warmth, coolness, tension, softness, heaviness, lightness, movement or stillness.
You might notice an emotion.
Or perhaps you notice a thought about what you are experiencing.
There is no need to work anything out.
Just notice.
Bring a little movement
Now allow a small movement to happen.
You might gently roll your shoulders, stretch your arms, turn your head or shift your weight.
Choose something that feels comfortable and natural.
As you move, notice what happens inside.
Does the sensation change?
Does your breathing change?
Does the movement affect your mood or your thoughts in any way?
Perhaps the movement feels pleasant.
Perhaps it feels unfamiliar.
Perhaps you would rather stay still.
There is no particular response you are looking for.
The invitation is simply to become curious about your experience.
Explore the connection
You might try making the same movement in two different ways.
For example, slowly and quickly.
With more effort and less effort.
With your attention on the movement and then with your attention on something else.
Notice whether anything changes.
You could also experiment with a movement that feels expansive — perhaps reaching your arms outwards — and then one that feels more contained, such as bringing your arms closer to your body.
Again, there is no right way to experience this.
You are simply exploring:
What happens in my body when I move in different ways?
And what happens in my thoughts or feelings?
Pause and listen
Allow yourself to become still again.
Notice your body.
Notice your thoughts.
Notice your feelings.
You may find that something has shifted, even subtly.
Or perhaps nothing seems different at all.
There is no need to make an interpretation.
Sometimes awareness is enough.
A few things to reflect on
If you would like to stay with the exploration for a little longer, you might consider:
- What did I notice in my body?
- Did any sensations change as I moved?
- Did my thoughts or feelings change?
- Was there a movement that felt particularly comfortable or interesting?
- What was it like simply to notice, without needing to change anything?
- Is there anything I am more aware of now?
You could write about your experience, or simply allow the questions to sit with you.
Remember
Your experience will be different from someone else’s, and it may be different from one day to another.
You don’t need to force yourself to notice something or to create a particular feeling.
The body–mind connection isn’t something you need to get right. It is something you can become curious about.
Move in ways that feel comfortable for you, and remember that you can always make a movement smaller, change it, pause or stop.