Our bodies are incredibly wise. They give us information all the time, so much that we have to filter a lot of it out. Much of it we take for granted – our eyes can see around a million different colours while our noses can smell over a trillion scents. Incredible – but most of the time we don’t appreciate just how incredible our bodies really are. 

Something else our body can identify is how we’re feeling, but a lot of the time we’re not in tune with our bodies to hear what it’s telling us. The obvious example is pain – when we feel pain, it’s a signal from our body to tell us that something is wrong, so we need to do something to fix it. 

But our bodies can also tell us how we’re feeling – if we know how to listen. The more you pay attention to what your body is telling you, the more self-aware you will be. Nerves can be that tight, twisted feeling in the pit of the stomach. Bizarrely, I feel confidence in my shoulders, but if you think about it, maybe it’s not that strange after all. When we’re confident, we stand up straight, shoulders back, so perhaps it’s that posture which I’m feeling in my shoulders. 

Taking time out every day to check in with your body can help you understand more of its mysterious language. Take a moment to sit with your body. Close your eyes and turn your attention inwards. Is there any stress or tension anywhere in your body? Is there anywhere which feels particularly relaxed? Start at your toes and slowly draw your focus up, up, up to the top of your head, taking note of every inch of your being. 

Stop if you find an area which needs a little extra attention. What are you feeling? Can you name that emotion? If you can’t, it’s okay. It’s all part of the learning journey. 

Once you have identified that part of you which needs some care (or which maybe has something positive to offer you), sit with it for a while, familiarising yourself with the sensation. When you are ready, turn your focus to your breathe. Inhale healing, loving energy and send it to that part of you. If you’ve been able to name the emotion and it’s something like stress, fear, or worry, you might like to recite a mantra in your mind like trust, strength or hope and send that word to the affected area with your breath.