4 Reasons to Give Your Body More Mindful Attention
1. The body, unlike the mind, exists in present time.
We can tend to operate as heads without bodies. We can feel so stressed at times that we forget that we are even sitting in our chairs or forget that we have hands or feet. Tuning into the body immediately launches us back into the present.
In the present moment we can release the regrets of the past or the worries about the future and simply lean into what’s here and true right now.
2. The body is the first to detect that something is wrong.
Our bodies are sensory machines. Like a tuning fork, our bodies can detect sounds, emotions, tone, and sensations often before our cognitive minds even realize what might be happening. Especially when we are in danger or even feeling a bit uncomfortable, the body tends to “get it” way before our minds do.
By tuning into the body and becoming aware of sensations, we can begin to use the information that our bodies give us (i.e. a “pit” in our stomach when we know something isn’t right, heat in our cheeks at the onset of anger) to make informed decisions from an embodied place.
3. Tuning into the body gives us courage when things might be scary.
Once we begin to understand our body’s sensations, we can use that information to take courageous action.
For example, public speaking is inherently scary for most of us. Before we get on stage or even have to unmute on a Zoom call, we may feel our heart beating faster or that we’re starting to sweat; these are the same sensations that courage requires, so rather than feeling scared of them, we can feel empowered. We can ground ourselves by knowing we are here and we can feel our feet on the floor and the temperature of our hands. We can feel the lump in our throats and know that whatever we have to say is important, and we can use the body as a vessel of courage.
4. Developing love and compassion for the body in a world that wants us to do the opposite is empowering.
We live in a world that unfortunately wants us to feel like we aren’t enough. Like we don’t look good enough or that we don’t have enough products– so that we constantly feel the need to buy things to try and feel whole.
But the fact is, you are already whole.
Your body exists as a field of incredible sensations. Our body is the organism that allows us to experience and feel our lives. Hating it, judging it, wishing it were different only separates us from living wholly. Accepting it as it is, even the painful parts, helps us truly lean into what is here moment to moment, which is ultimately all we have as we navigate and experience life.