Sensual, sultry, soulful movements. Movements that appear effortless. Movements that have no specific, yet very purposeful direction. As you begin to heal yourself using your body as the instrument it was given to learn from and know, you become reborn with a sense of belonging to yourself that no one can ever take from you.
Do you trust your body to tell you what is happening in your life? That’s not a trick question. I really want to know. Do you check in with your physical form—like listening to the rhythm of your heart? Or do you count the numbers of breaths you take when you feel yourself getting worked up? Have you ever stopped to taste the flavors on your tongue moments after you’ve ingested something and try to identify as many things as you can taste in your mouth? That, my friends, is mindful awareness. And the former, is the physical intelligence of the body to remember what it’s been through.
I teach my clients how to listen inwardly. It’s a practice. And as simple as it may sound it’s some of the most challenging work people who have been traumatized can do. The ability to intentionally slow down and align with what is going on with you takes patience. It takes self-awareness and it takes commitment.
I’m a dancer. I’ve been a dancer since the age of 4. My body has always been considered an instrument for fine tuning, attuning, and sometimes using in ways that I have to treat with better care. However, as I awaken more often to the important needs of my body, I trust it to tell me what I should do for it, with it, and about it. That includes resting as much as I need to, and hydrating my largest organ, the skin, in a way that is gentle and satisfying. It also includes being more careful with what I ingest—and that includes not only food, but water and teas, music, tv and what people say about my body. I treat my body more lovingly these days and I purposefully give more attention to what sustains me.
Two of the activities I am excited to return to this year are dance and yoga (although I feel lazier about the latter than the former if I’m being honest).
If you stop for just a second and think about something your body recently told you where in your body did you locate that sensation? What did it feel like to you and was it familiar? I’d love to read what mindfulness steps you took this week to learn more about yourself. Remember to drop me a line when you do. And as always, tell your friends about this Village. Invite them to subscribe and get these weekly jewels.
*This blog is about becoming free. It’s a reflection of introspective thoughts and experiences that have crossed miles of self-discovery. I created this blog to inspire others to live life with less self-criticism, judgment and openness to new experiences. May you find that you learn how to live a life by design and on your own terms!*