When I awake in the morning, I stretch slowly like a cat before I get out of bed. Fingers, toes, feet and hands. Arms and legs and whole body stretches. And of course, breathing deeply with each stretch. Being grateful for waking up again! Stretching throughout the days is good for you and your body, too.
Secondly, each morning as I meditate after breakfast, I start with a body scan awareness exercise. I breathe into each part of my body and send gratitude and healing energy to it. I may breathe into my toes and thank my toes on the out breath. And continue up through my body to the top of my head. Once I finish the outside/exterior of my body, I begin with the interior and usually start at the top breathing into my brain and thanking my brain on the out breath. And continue down through the inside of my body, finishing with three breaths in and out, thanking my skeleton system, muscles, and skin for holding it all together!
If there is a particular spot that hurts, like my right hip, I may breathe into to it an extra breath and send healing energy there. Since I can be so antsy, this whole exercise helps to calm me down.
If I'm stuck somewhere out during my day, like in a doctor's waiting room, I will practice my meditation body scan again. It helps me be more patient. Last week as I waited in the private room for my eye doctor, I had just finished the body scan meditation when he walked in. Nice timing, doc!
During the day, as I shower and wash my body or chop fruits and vegetables for cooking or cut material for quilting or wield a paint brush or type on a key board or write in a notebook or walk from room to room or on the sidewalk or on a trail, I try to be aware of my body and breathe in and out and thank my body for working well.
When I practice yoga--whether in a home practice or in a yoga class--I try to get out of my mind and to be mindful of moving my body and to thank my body again. Yoga is one of the best ways to help you develop body awareness because you get into pose/position or asana and hold it for a few moments, breathing in and out.
Lastly, when I look at myself in the mirror, I look at myself through gentle eyes, through eyes of love, as I'm sure my Mother/Father God sees me or as those who love me see me. I try not to pick out each flaw and groan about why my skin isn't smoother or my stomach slimmer or whatever. I try to see my body's beauty and to thank it for its functioning so well through all of these years!
We have been too critical of our bodies; let's now learn to appreciate these amazing bodies of ours! If you think about it, the way they automatically function is phenomenal. They are the houses of our souls, and they have an expiration date. Love them, just as they are.
Positive body awareness is a practice--a habit developed in small ways throughout the day. There's no right way to do it or right time to start. Just begin now in any ways that you choose!
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