The gifts of an embodied life

I was inspired to write this blog by the latest contributor to our Newsletter “Nourishing Waters”, Chloe Howe. Chloe writes with such a wonderful balance between heart and head, that not only is the content about which she writes so helpful it is written in a way that should appeal to all regardless of preference and in a way that I personally aspire to achieve.  

Regular readers will have noticed that recently a lot of my observations and provocations have talked about the consequences of our inner disconnect, and similarly, the beauty and well-being that is available to us all if only we are committed to doing the inner work. So it feels about time again to offer some reflections and access points that can support us with this rewarding work, which in turn I feel will bring some balance back to my offerings here. 

And if you are new here and find this helpful then please do look at my other blogs for more insights that could help you access your deepest and truest talents, and of course, do read Chloe’s wonderful article as well as all our guest columnists. 

So with this in mind, let’s reflect on our relationship with sensations we experience in our bodies, and how working with these could be a great way to bring more insight, kindness and capacity to our capability to turn up with complete access to our skills and talents in every given moment. To bring emotional regulation and clarity of decision-making when we need it most. 

For many people, they are rarely aware of what's happening inside their bodies. In our culture where we spend an average of eight hours a day on a screen, our focus and sometimes addiction to the virtual world means we're not usually aware of body sensations. 

Even though we're not usually aware of it, every one of our experiences whether it's love or hurt, anger, thinking, an addictive behaviour, is fuelled by physical sensations. 

When you're angry with a colleague for not doing his or her share of work, that anger is arising along with the sensations in the body. You might feel burning, tightening, maybe a swell of energy that initially feels good but becomes uncomfortable, even unpleasant.  

On the other hand, when you're attracted to someone, you're responding to the pleasant sensations. The lightness of joy or delight, a swelling of the heart that you experience when you think of that person or are near them.  

When we're not mindful of what's going on in our bodies, we can be driven by these sensations rather than having the freedom to pause and make wise choices. 

However with a little mindfulness and presence, when we feel the burn of anger, we can remain present with it rather than lash out. When we feel the pleasurable rush of dopamine in romance, we might mindfully notice it, rather than obsessively pursuing the object of our desire.  

As we’ve explored in previous posts, our minds are innocent here but will incline towards the practices that we have learned and adopted in order to feel safe and in control. So we've become conditioned to pull away from unpleasant sensations and try to hold on to pleasant ones. This means we're continually reacting with grasping or pushing away. You’re doing it all the time trust me. And how wonderful to know that you can bring awareness to this knowledge and therefore in time have more choice, in turn influencing the outcomes you experience. 

With a little mindful practice, we learn to stay present with whatever sensations we're experiencing just letting them arise and pass like the breath. No right or wrong, just accuracy of experience. 

Rest assured, remaining present with strong sensations such as anger, anxiety, pain, or craving is not so easy, especially if we've experienced intense or traumatic physical or emotional pain. We want to run away, numb out, and somehow avoid the sensations, and this is totally understandable. So small steps and gentle practices of staying with the sensation are initially required, so that we can develop the muscle, as with any other growth, in a mindful, unrushed, healthy way, avoiding the pitfalls and injuries that come with trying too hard too quickly in any pursuit. So be kind to yourself as you learn, a practice in itself of enormous value. 

It is entirely possible to create some space through gentle practice between the heat of the sensation and not letting that heat overwhelm our capacity to remain observant and aware, rather than overwhelmed and reactive, but you must be sensitive to yourself and take small steps. 

Then as we learn to simply remain present with sensations, we not only free ourselves from the old patterns of reactivity. We also receive the gifts of an embodied life.  

Our body lives in the present moment. When we're in touch with our body, we're here available for life.  

The key to wakefully inhabiting our bodies is to fully experience sensations just as they are with a friendly attitude. You're coming into a relationship with the most immediate, direct expression of this mysterious life. What a gift. What a simple way into deeper consciousness. 

This bodily awareness can help you be more present in any activity and better handle any situation you find yourself facing…. 

May your practice bring you everything you wish for. 

—
Andrew.