Developing embodied presence means that we are living in the present moment and maintaining awareness of what is happening in the body, heart, and mind. We are aware of sensations, feelings, and thoughts that arise moment to moment.
The great challenge in our busy world is to stay connected with ourselves— with our bodily felt experience, our living wisdom, our sensitivity and our depth. – John Welwood
How many times have we awakened to the realization that we’re exhausted, in physical pain, anxious, generally unhappy, depressed, or struggling with an illness and wondering how things suddenly got to this point? Most of these conditions or mind states develop slowly and gradually, yet if we are out of touch with the signals that our body gives us that something is out of balance, we don’t realize what is happening.
Developing embodied presence and awareness can help us to get in touch with the state of our body and learn to pay attention to its messages and needs. We can begin to develop embodied presence and awareness by taking a few minutes each day to be still and quiet and simply notice any sensations that are present in our body.
Jen Johnson is a meditation teacher and counselor teaching meditation for healing and creativity. She has been teaching mindfulness for 30+ years. Learn more about mindfulness coaching with Jen.