photo by L.A. Johnson
FROM SENSES WIDE OPEN:
The Art and Practice of Living in Your Body
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Right now, in this very moment: What is your body telling you? Is your stomach tense with anxiety, or warm with relaxation? Is your forehead furrowed in concentration, or are your eyes wide with wonder? Are your feet happy in your shoes? Is your breathing substantial yet tranquil? Are you comfortable inside your own skin? Are you looking out through your eyes, taking in sound through your ears, feeling the temperature with your skin, inhaling the scent of the air?Are you living in your body right now? |
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As your eyes settle in on this page and begin to gobble up these words, to place them in your mind, and as your mind begins to consider them, remember: At this very moment, you also have a body. Your body is a marvelous container for your self. At this very moment, within your body, a heart is pumping blood; involuntary muscles are working your liver, stomach, intestines, and lungs; a system of nerves far more complex than the electrical wiring in your house is helping you feel; and a column of vertebral bones that fit together perfectly provide strength and flexibility at the same time. Your body is an intelligent being in its own right, and you can learn to trust it to do its job. |
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WHAT YOUR BODY KNOWS Look around you: What do you see. Listen: What do you hear? Be aware of your skin: What does it feel? Inside your mouth: What is the taste? Inhaling: What do you smell? There are as many tones of sensation as there are tones of sound or hues of color. A magnificent symphony of sensation is playing in your body right now. You can enjoy this body music when you learn to allow your attention to drop from your mind into your body, expanding your awareness into every cell. |
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Try This Now:
Take a full, deep breath into your lungs. |