5 Ways To Tune Into Your Body
Hello dear friends!
Between the demands of the modern world, and the negative messages that most of us receive about our bodies, it’s no wonder that most of us live up in our heads. Having to juggle responsibilities, forego sleep, and eat on the run only compounds the vague sense of unsafety that many people sense in their bodies. From what I’ve noticed in my own practice with clients, most people’s energy is pulled “up and/or out of” the body- it’s like on a deeper level we’ve shuttled our resources to our mental worlds- thinking, planning, strategizing, etc…and this is merely a symptom of the stress response.
After many years of my own healing journey, and working with many other women, I’m convinced that embodiment is a key, sacred need in our times. Our soul contracts must have clauses in them, about learning to live in harmony with these physical vessels we’ve been given. So, much of my practice revolves around helping women find safety and pleasure in their bodies again. But how can we begin this process, especially if we’ve been disconnected for years, or decades?
I won’t lie to you and say it’s easy, or that just doing these five things will fix everything. Coming back home to ourselves is a long and winding road, but it has to start somewhere. By beginning to tune into your body and listen to what it’s telling you (spoiler alert: your body is always communicating with you!), you can open the channels for healing.
Tuning into your body can have wide-spread benefit, from avoiding burnout and digestive upset, to enjoying greater sensual pleasure and faster recovery after exercise. Remember that you were born in perfect harmony with your body. You were born, and meant to be, best friends for this lifetime. This isn’t a brand new concept, but merely a process of remembering your true nature.
So, here are five simple ways to begin your journey back home:
1. Practice self-massage
Too often, we rely on other people to give us the physical touch that we need. Whether we’re waiting for our lover or partner, or we’re counting down the days until our next massage, most often we put our “touch” needs into the hands of others. One way to reclaim our body space, and take back some of our power is to practice regular self-massage or self-touch. This doesn’t need to be anything fancy, although you’re welcome to make this into a beautiful self-love ritual if you’d like. But most days, 5 minutes to massage the soles of the feet (amazing for insomnia), do a scalp massage with essential oils, or moisturize your skin after a shower or bath is just perfect.
Lately, I’ve been diving deep into Ayurvedic healing, and have been practicing “abyhanga,” or self-massage with oil. After my evening shower, I’ve been massaging myself with oils that are specific to my dosha (strong Vata right here), and it’s been transformative. Not only am I locking in moisture and rebalancing my constitution, but I’m also taking several minutes every evening to say “hello, thank you, and I love you” to my body.
2. Do a body scan
Similar to meditation, this technique allows you to rest quietly while focusing on one area of your body at a time. Some people like to do this right before they go to sleep, or just upon waking up, and it’s ideal as a daily practice. It can be fascinating to observe the subtle (or sometimes drastic) changes your body goes through from one day to the next.
Lay down somewhere quiet (your bedroom, your yoga mat, etc…) and take a few deep cleansing breaths. Then starting at the crown of your head, slowly scan down your body and pay attention to what you find. Take at least a few seconds on each body part and observing the sensations there; is it tingling? Throbbing? Does it feel heavy? Warm? Numb? Cold? You get the idea. It can be tempting to jump right to the areas that are painful or bothersome, but try to train your attention to stick with the entire scan, all the way from your scalp down to your little pinky toes.
Want a guided practice? Check out this one.
3. Keep a journal or diary
Everyone can benefit from this practice, but this one is VITAL for anyone healing from chronic illness. Jotting things down on a daily basis (even weekly is better than nothing) can really illuminate your patterns and help identify triggers. This is super handy if you are trying to track food intolerances, medication side effects, and other critical info. And for the normal everyday stuff, it’s great to write down things like your physical activities, work hours, foods/drinks, supplements, sleep, and any physical symptoms you’re experiencing. Over time, this will give you a comprehensive picture of your body’s rhythms and signals.
My journal was crucial to me figuring out the balance between exertion, foods, and flare-ups. Also, if you’re a menstruating person, I highly recommend tracking your cycles and any accompanying symptoms. My favorite tracker is Clue.
4. Be in nature
Just being outside in the fresh air has a powerful centering effect, and the further you travel outside the sphere of human commotion, the more intense the healing can be. Digging your toes into the grass (or sand, or dirt…) is a wonderful way to reconnect with yourself and feel grounded in the earth, bringing you back into your body. When we take time out to just be in nature, we can amplify our inner voice and recognize what we are truly calling out for. Plus, all those endorphins and yummy vitamin D don’t hurt either! There are many benefits to “earthing,” but for me, I think the magic lies in the deep re-centering and recalibration that often happens in the arms of Nature.
Go visit a park or nature trail that you really enjoy, and leave the distractions (cell phones, earbuds…) behind. Take a dip in a pond or lake, or let the river wash over your ankles. Or if you’re short on time or transportation, go stick your bare feet in the grass/snow/mud or lie down on the earth for a few minutes and recharge.
5. Eat a mindful meal
This is a fun exercise to break you out of your robotic food routine, while tickling parts of your brain! The challenge is to eat something (this can be something new or familiar) slowly, using all five of your senses for a truly mindful and grounding experience. This forces all the parts of your noggin to engage with what you’re doing, bringing yourself back into your body and paying attention to all of its sensations.
Do this with something simple, like a piece of chocolate or fruit. First remove distractions and sit down with the food in front of you. Observe what it looks like and try to describe it using words. Then move on to how it smells, how it feels in your hands, how it sounds when moved around or bitten in to. Then as you take very small bites, pay attention to how it feels in your mouth, the variety of flavors present, and if you can describe the taste in creative language. Lastly, tune in to how you feel after each bite, the sensations in your mouth or stomach, and any emotional responses you have.
I only just briefly summarized the exercise, so for the full enchilada (pun intended!), check this out.
Whether you are trying to prevent a flare-up, heal long-held trauma, or establish a healthy relationship with food, being able to hear your body when it speaks is paramount. Sometimes our bodies have to throw a temper tantrum like a toddler in a grocery store in order for us to stop and listen. And those tantrums usually take the form of illness, burnout, fatigue, and other disruptions like food intolerance and skin breakouts.
So take a few minutes out of your day to just check in with yourself and ask, “what’s up?” It may save you loads of pain and sickness later.
And again, don’t forget that all your body wants is to be your friend. Even when it feels like you’re fighting against each other, she’s been on your side all along.
If you know you’re ready to do the work to come back home to yourself, but don’t know how to begin, I’m here to help. Check out my coaching offerings right here.
Love you all. Until next time,
~ Wishing you joy and ease ~
