https://www.artsy.net/artist/antony-gormley
The busy lives we lead can get the best of us. We tend to put taking care of our bodies on the back burner until something begins to hurt or ache. I understand this, because I have done the same thing. That being said, it was and never is a good choice. Taking care of ourselves regularly is a necessity and I am not talking about going to the gym or in a boot camp class, but to be aware of how we live in our bodies on a daily basis.
A few things I remind myself and client’s is to focus on breath through out their day. I am not talking about breathing only from the front of your body but throughout your entire body. Expand your body with breath. – We are 3 dimensional (back, front, sides, head to feet) living and breathing organisms.
SEE what surrounds you. We tend to lead our lives seeing only what is in front of us as opposed to looking at the whole picture. I call this “tunnel vision”, experiment by using your peripheral vision – see and hear everything that is around you.
FEEL what surrounds you. This would be proprioception, sense your body in space without looking. I often tell clients to close their eyes while standing still and feel their body. Not only do you become more in tune to yourself but to your surroundings as well. Try not to over think it. – Key words: Feel and internalize.
Lastly, soften your sternum. You may ask “How do I soften my sternum, it’s a bone.” Visualize, visualize, visualize -think melt, soft, bend. Do you lead with your chest when you walk? Do you forget to exhale completely? Do you find that you hold your breath? Close your eyes and feel what your sternum (chest) is doing.
These are 4 exercises that I use everyday in my life. Introduce one of these into your daily life once a week or once a month and see what you notice. What is your relationship to your body? There is no right or wrong way – it’s about your experience, begin to listen and be in your body on another level.
