Practice Of Returning Series: When Your Body Feels Foreign

This gentle mini-lesson explores a quiet but common experience—when a part of your body feels unfamiliar, distant, or not fully your own. Through grounding, education, and guided embodiment, you’ll learn why this happens and how the nervous system creates distance to protect you during injury, stress, or intense life changes.

Together, we’ll bring awareness back to the body with simple movements, breath, and presence, helping you reconnect with places that may have stepped back for safety. If you’ve ever felt “not quite in” your body or sensed that a certain area doesn’t fully belong to you, this practice offers understanding, reconnection, and a compassionate way home to yourself.

Background music by Liborio Conti.

Transcript

Welcome.

I'm glad you're here.

I'm glad you gave yourself this time to pause,

To breathe,

To settle,

And to turn gently toward whatever feels unfamiliar inside you right now.

Today,

We're exploring something many people experience,

Yet few know how to name.

The feeling that a part of your body doesn't quite belong to you.

Not the loss of identity,

Not the loss of self-recognition,

But a quieter stranger feeling when the mind knows who you are,

But the body or a part of the body feels separate somehow,

Almost foreign.

Maybe this has happened to you before.

You're going about your day,

Your mind clear and aware,

But your body feels distant,

Like you're moving through space without truly inhabiting the moment.

Or maybe it shows up in one specific place.

You look at your hands,

And they don't feel like yours.

You touch your leg or your face,

And the sensation lands flat,

Muted,

Or strangely unfamiliar.

You recognize yourself,

But you don't recognize this part of your physical experience as you.

There was a time in my life when I first understood this feeling.

I had fallen and injured myself,

Nothing catastrophic,

But enough to leave my ankle and my leg swollen,

Bruised,

And tender for a while.

They healed well,

The injury resolved,

But for months afterwards,

I would stand in the shower and look down at that leg,

That ankle,

And feel oddly distant from it.

I knew it was my leg,

I knew the injury happened to me,

And still there were moments when I looked at it and quietly wondered whose leg I was looking at,

Because on a deeper level,

It didn't feel like it belonged to me anymore.

I used to call it my incredible Hulk leg.

This wasn't dramatic or frightening,

It was subtle in fact,

A soft disorientation that lived somewhere beneath thought.

My body had protected me by stepping back from the pain,

And now that it was returning,

The connection wasn't fully restored.

The leg had healed,

But the relationship with it hadn't.

Experiences like that can accumulate over time,

Sometimes they happen after physical injury,

Sometimes after emotional overwhelm,

And sometimes simply because life has demanded so much that part of you quietly withdrew from sensation,

And sometimes it shows up for no obvious reason at all,

Just a gentle sense that something isn't fully aligned inside your physical experience.

If you're listening to this because part of your body feels distant,

Or because you move through the world as if you're slightly outside yourself,

Or because you feel like you inhabit your body but don't entirely live in it,

You're in the right place.

You're not alone,

And nothing is wrong with you.

Your body has been protecting you.

Today,

We're simply inviting it back with warmth and patience so that it can rejoin your felt sense of self.

Now before we go deeper,

Let's pause and arrive in our bodies.

This grounding will help us notice safely and gently what's happening inside of us.

Take a moment to settle into your posture.

Notice how your body is supported.

Feel your feet connecting with the floor.

The gentle weight of your legs pressing into the chair or the floor.

Your back supported.

Take a deep,

Deliberate inhale,

Letting your chest rise,

And a long exhale,

Softening your shoulders,

Your jaw,

And your face.

Now bring attention to your hands.

Rest them gently on your lap or by your sides.

Notice their texture,

Their warmth,

Their weight.

Flex your fingers slowly,

Feeling each joint,

Each knuckle,

Awakening to your presence.

Allow your awareness to scan through your arms,

Noticing the subtle tension in your forearms and the heaviness or lightness of your upper arms.

Shift attention to your torso and your back.

Breathe into any areas of tightness.

Perhaps your chest feels restricted.

Allow it to expand gently with each inhale.

Maybe your belly feels flat or distant.

Let your breath soften that area,

Bringing warmth and awareness.

Bring your focus to your legs and your feet again.

Notice any points of contact with the floor or the chair.

Are your legs relaxed or are they stiff?

Do your toes spread or are they curled?

Each sensation is information,

Not a problem to solve.

Now take three slow,

Deep breaths together.

On the inhale,

Imagine drawing presence and curiosity into your body.

On the exhale,

Release tension,

Self-judgment,

And worry.

Whisper to yourself,

Either aloud or silently,

Here I am.

This is my body.

I am present with it.

Let this acknowledgement settle for a moment.

Now that we've arrived,

We can begin to explore what might be causing this disconnection and why it happens.

Many people experience the sense that a part of their body doesn't quite belong,

That it feels separate from the self.

It can happen after injury,

Illness,

Periods of intense stress,

Or when life is demanded more than the body could safely carry.

It can also happen when your body is experiencing changes faster than your brain can map those changes,

Such as adolescence,

Pregnancy,

Menopause,

Or significant weight loss or gain.

Sometimes it shows up in one specific place.

A hand,

A foot,

A leg,

The chest,

Or the face.

Other times,

It feels more generalized,

Like a general sense that the body as a whole is not fully yours.

The mind knows you.

The mind knows your history,

Your personality,

Your identity.

But a part of your body has quietly stepped away.

This disconnection is often linked to how the nervous system protects you.

When life feels overwhelming or when physical injury or pain occurs,

The nervous system can create a subtle separation.

Part of the body withdraws from full sensation in order to protect you from overwhelm,

From pain,

Or from sensations that are difficult to integrate.

The mind continues to navigate the world while the body takes a step back,

Quietly self-protecting.

Over time,

The disconnection can linger long after the original trigger has passed.

For some,

This experience is temporary,

Such as in the case of me and my leg before.

It may appear in brief moments,

Standing in the shower,

Like I had,

Walking down the street,

Noticing a hand or a limb that feels distant or unfamiliar,

And then dissolve again.

For others,

It might feel more consistent,

As if a part of the body has been detached for a long period of time.

Both experiences are normal.

Neither indicates weakness,

Flaw,

Or failure.

They're simply the body's way of managing and protecting itself.

It's also important to be aware that certain medications can create or intensify this sense of body disconnection.

Medications that affect the nervous system,

Such as some antidepressants,

Antipsychotics,

Or medications that influence brain chemistry,

Can sometimes reduce the felt sense of connection to the body.

If you notice that these feelings of estrangement began and worsened after starting a new medication,

Or if they feel more intense than you would expect,

It can be very helpful to speak with your doctor or prescribing provider.

Asking questions about your experience with medication is a responsible,

Self-caring step,

And you don't have to navigate this alone.

Physically,

Disconnection can manifest in many ways.

The body may feel numb,

Or heavy,

Or oddly detached.

Movements may feel automatic,

As if part of you is watching from the sidelines rather than inhabiting the movement fully.

You may notice small gestures or familiar actions feeling strange,

Like your body is going through motions that your mind recognizes but your felt sense does not.

Sometimes the disconnection is subtle,

Only noticeable in quiet moments when you pause and bring attention to a part of your body that feels foreign.

Other times,

It's more pronounced,

Leaving you wondering whether your body truly belongs to you.

The good news is that these sensations can be reconnected with gentle attention,

Awareness,

And movement.

The body is not permanently estranged.

Even small movements of presence,

Subtle attention to sensation,

And simple movement or touch can begin to restore connection.

By noticing where your body feels distant,

Where it feels unfamiliar,

And responding with patience and curiosity rather than frustration,

You're inviting it back into the sense of you.

Understanding the nervous system,

The body's protective responses,

And the subtle influences of medications can help you approach these sensations with compassion and with curiosity.

This isn't about fixing something broken.

It's about noticing,

Welcoming,

And reconnecting.

Your body has been carrying more than you realized,

And it's ready to come back,

And you're ready to guide it home.

Let's move now from understanding to experiencing,

Coming back into your body and your sense of self through movement,

Breath,

And sensation.

Take a slow,

Deep breath in.

Feel the air filling your chest and your abdomen.

Let it move all the way down into your belly.

Exhale,

Noticing your spine lengthen,

Your shoulders release,

And your body begin to settle into the support beneath you.

Take another breath in like this,

Slower and fuller.

Sensing the body expand gently with the inhale,

And soften with the exhale.

Bring attention to your face.

Soften your jaw.

Relax the muscles around your eyes.

Allow your tongue to rest comfortably.

Notice the subtle sensations of your face,

The way it meets the air,

The warmth or the coolness of your skin.

These small adjustments invite presence back into your body.

Place your hands on your heart.

Feel the warmth,

The weight,

The subtle pulse beneath your palms.

Inhale,

Drawing awareness into your chest,

Into the space beneath your hands.

And exhale,

Releasing tension,

Resistance,

Or distance.

With each breath,

Sense the gentle reconnection between your mind and your body.

Allow your awareness to expand slowly,

Radiating out from your chest,

Flowing into your shoulders,

Your arms,

And your back.

Notice the difference between the parts of your body that feel alive and those that feel distant.

Give each area gentle attention,

As if you were greeting an old friend.

Gently roll your shoulders in slow circles.

Forward,

And then back.

Notice the areas that feel tight,

Areas that feel soft,

Areas that resist or protest.

Take your time,

Moving deliberately,

Sensing how your muscles respond.

Inhale,

Reaching your arms overhead,

If that's comfortable,

Stretching gently toward the sky.

Feel the space between your ribs expand,

The length in your spine.

And exhale,

Lowering your arms slowly,

Noticing how your body responds to the movement.

Move with intention,

As if you were reacquainting yourself with your own body,

Savoring each sensation,

Each stretch,

Each subtle release.

Shift your awareness down to your hands and your fingers.

Flex and extend your fingers slowly,

Noticing each joint.

Rotate your wrists gently,

Observing any areas of stiffness or warmth.

Sense how your hands feel in the space around them,

The connection to your arms.

The energy that flows through them.

Slowly move attention up your arms again,

Feeling the continuity of sensation running from your fingertips to your shoulders,

To your torso and your back.

Bring your attention to your legs and your feet.

Press your feet firmly into the floor.

Feel the arches,

The heels,

The balls of your feet and the spaces between your toes.

Flex your ankles slowly,

Rotating them gently.

Lift and lower your knees,

Noticing the engagement of muscles,

The pull of tendons,

The subtle weight shift in your hips.

Sense strength and connection flowing from your feet up through your legs,

And carrying awareness upward toward your torso,

Your spine,

Your chest.

Notice any areas that feel disconnected or muted,

And simply bring gentle attention there without judgment.

Now imagine a soft,

Warm light moving through your entire body,

From the ground of your head to the tips of your toes.

This light is awareness itself,

Illuminating every muscle,

Every joint,

Every breath.

Allow it to linger in areas of tension,

In areas of ease,

In places that have felt distant.

Breathe into each place.

Feel your presence settling more fully,

Piece by piece.

Now whisper gently to yourself,

Here I am.

I am in my body.

I am myself.

If your mind wanders,

Notice it and guide your awareness back to the warmth and light moving through your body.

Take a few moments to notice the subtle sensations that emerge,

A tingling in your fingertips,

Warmth in your legs,

Lightness in your chest.

Observe the gentle rhythm of your breathing,

The tiny expansions and contractions that signal life and presence.

If it feels helpful,

You can place your hands on any part of the body that has felt distant,

Offering gentle warmth and attention.

Take one final deep nourishing breath.

Feel the entirety of your body and notice how it feels to inhabit yourself fully,

If only a little more than before.

Whisper gently once more,

Here I am.

I am in my body.

I am myself.

As we slowly come out of this practice,

Let's pause to reflect on what we've noticed and integrate these sensations and these insights.

First,

Notice areas that feel different,

Lighter,

Warmer,

Or more awake.

Maybe you discovered sensations you hadn't felt in a long time.

Ask yourself,

What have I learned about how my body has carried distance from myself?

How does it feel to notice and honor my presence now?

Can I recognize parts of myself in the way that I breathe,

Move,

Or inhabit this moment?

Consider the education we discussed,

The subtle signals your nervous system sends,

The way your body protects and adapts,

And how disconnection is an invitation,

Not a failure.

Integration is noticing,

Acknowledging,

And welcoming.

By connecting your mind and body,

You strengthen the bridge between thought,

Sensation,

And identity.

If you like,

You can journal or talk through these observations,

Letting words reinforce the reconnection you've cultivated in your own body.

Finally,

Let's close this practice with a sense of completion,

Presence.

And community.

Thank you for taking this time to return to your body and your sense of self.

Disconnection isn't a failure.

It's an invitation to reconnect.

Every breath,

Every gentle movement,

Every moment of awareness helps you reclaim what has felt lost.

If this practice resonated,

Consider joining my full class,

Coming Home to Your Body,

Where we explore these reconnections more deeply.

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All that's missing is you.

Take one final deep breath in and exhale fully,

Carrying this sense of recognition and presence with you as you move through the rest of your day.