Its often
easy to let stress and anxiety become our guides in daily life. Being too much
“in our heads” sometimes creates a feeling of separation between our thoughts
about what we should be doing and what really needs tending in our
relationships and within ourselves. The
following practice was designed to help bring awareness to the wisdom of our
body as a guide to the choices we make.
Though this is similar to the “Exploration” practice I posted last
month, the focus is slightly different and the second part provided a specific
way to carry this forward into your daily life.
Part 1.
Once a week go somewhere you can
wonder freely. A city, a park, a trail – somewhere relatively safe. You will be
taking a walk, of an hour (or more if you can afford the time) with no set
destination in mind. Simply following your senses and intuition.
Wherever you choose to begin pay
attention to each sense in turn. What do you see, smell, hear, taste? How the
wind or sun feels on your skin? Close your eyes briefly place your hands over
your heart and breathe in for a few breaths, turning to face each direction as
you do.
Without thinking too much about
it – what is drawing your attention most?
Maybe it’s the sound of the wind in the leaves or music from out of a
window. Perhaps a smell of baking or the warmth of the sun is calling to you?
Maybe the sight of some flowers in a garden or street art? When you feel this
pull walk toward whatever it is. If you find yourself thinking too much about
it bring your hands to your heart and return to your senses.
Afterwards
write in a journal of what drew you. How did that feel? What senses were more
dominant? What thoughts or anxieties arose as you walked this unexpected path?
Part 2.
During the following week,
throughout the course of your normal day-to-day activity periodically check in
with your heart and senses as you did on your walk. It maybe helpful to do this
before choosing a meal if you are concerned about your eating habits. Or
perhaps you struggle with other choices about how you spend time at work, play
or community. You may simply want to set a reminder on your phone to check in a
few times a day.
Whatever comes to you, if you
cannot move in that direction immediately, make a note and a commitment to
follow through later.
Keep a journal of these things,
of the fears, challenges or obstacles you face in following through. Look for
the longer term patterns & what they might be telling you to bring in to
your life. Or what they may be telling you to move away from.
