Hello and welcome to the practice of body listening.
In this exercise we will be using gentle movements and non-judgmental awareness to tune in to our mind-body connection.
Please take a moment to set up your space in a way that best supports you.
We will start standing and then transition to the ground.
Once you feel ready I would invite you to take a moment to stand and close down your eyes.
Take some time here to just tune in to your breath.
Taking deep breaths in and exhaling.
Expanding as you breathe in and releasing any tension as you exhale.
Take a moment to just feel yourself standing.
What do you notice as you stand?
What's drawing your attention?
Are you able to observe or are you thinking of other things?
What do you notice about what you're thinking?
What do you notice about what you're feeling?
Take a few deep breaths on your own.
Now take another deep breath in and allow any sound or sigh to emerge as you exhale.
One more time.
Inhaling and letting go as you breathe out.
Notice the weight on your feet.
Is your weight more on one foot than another?
More on your toes or on your heels?
Feel free to change your position if you notice an impulse to move a bit forward or back to one side or the other to feel more balanced.
Notice if you feel like moving in any other way now.
Maybe your shoulders feel a bit tight and you just want to move them around.
Maybe your neck is bothering you.
Maybe you'd like to sway from side to side.
Just allow that intuitive movement to come up.
See what you notice and give yourself permission to respond and movement in any way that would feel good.
Keeping your eyes closed.
Now come back to stillness,
Back to standing in your center.
What does it feel like to do that?
What does your center feel like?
Feel the weight on your feet again and notice any changes you feel in your body now.
Take another deep breath in and out.
Begin to let your head relax forward towards your chest.
Feel the weight of your head getting heavy and heavier.
Slowly begin to allow the weight of your head to pull you down towards the floor.
Just go as far as you can,
Letting your shoulders relax as you roll down.
Notice how this feels.
Be sure to bend your knees if that feels more comfortable.
Let your knees bend and as you come down to a squatting position,
Use your hands to help balance you.
Then come down to sitting.
Still with your eyes closed,
Use your hands on either side of your body to lower yourself to the floor so you're lying on your back.
Allow your arms to relax on either side.
Take a deep breath in and out,
Allowing any sound or sigh to emerge again as you exhale.
See what you notice as you lie here.
What draws your attention?
Is it easier for you to focus now than it was when you were standing?
What parts of your body are you most aware of in this moment?
Feel your weight on the floor.
Allow your body to release any tension you might be holding on to.
Relax your muscles and let go,
Allowing yourself to soften.
Just allow your body to become heavy and sink into the floor underneath you,
Allowing for the earth to support you.
Feel your whole self relaxed and supported by the earth and allow yourself to rest here for some time.
