Day 2
The Conversation
Welcome to Day 2
Yesterday we tuned our focus onto our body and its sensations. The place where the vision will be felt. The body feels the vision, and it also speaks to our being of this vision and how it aligns with our actions. We ideally want to hear when the body speaks of vision, of intention. Today we take a step further entering the realm of expressive dance. In other words we open to a conversation with our body using the language of movement.
We begin to observe the shapes, gestures, forms, and angles that express the feelings of the body. Our body starts to talk, increasing its vocabulary with each new move while we are learning to listen. There is nothing particularly we need to talk about, we simply remain open to the conversation that unfolds. Curious to what our bodies are telling us about the current state of our Being. We are opening up to our story.
The Practice
Like yesterday, today's practice is part of the preparation. No right or wrong. Just shooting the breeze with your closest friend. Your body. Guidelines are the same as yesterday, although you may find you are opening your eyes more today as the eyes and their gaze may be part of the language of your body. For more info on expressive movement click here.
Below is the guided movement meditation practice for day two. Give yourself a full half hour for the practice. Make sure you have room to move freely and even vigorously. Switch your phone onto silent. Before you begin, take a look around and take in your environment, where you are, the time of day etc. Get comfortable.
For the Rest of Today
During your day, stay open to noticing how the body speaks to you. Notice at different moments and activities your posture, the way you carry yourself, the way you are moving, the expression on your face. Notice how different activities, situations, emotions, and experiences influence the conversation between you and your body, as well as your body and it's environment. Again without judgement, without suppression and without the need to analyse the experience. We are merely noticing ourselves from this point of view.
Also observe the body language of other people you interact with. Notice how connected or disconnected people seem from the conversation. See if you can invite interaction based on listening to their body language rather than what words are coming out of their mouths. If you get into nature, observe the language of the trees and plants. The way animals are conversing across species through gestures, posture, sounds and expression. Imagine that you actually understand this language well. Feel that you do. With time you will.
I’ve been dancing. Thanking you for making this available it is wonderful.
My body moves and responds but I don’t know what it is saying or trying to say?
How do I get to understand that?
Hi Martine,
The trick here is to just keep listening to your body. And simply stay curios and open to listening to it. Over time you will begin to understand its language. You could also try speak a short statement in your head, and let it at the same time move in your body. This way you will start to notice the manner in which your body is translating your words. That may help you get a few clues for the flow the other way. . Mostly however it is practice. Dance and be gentle, curious, and playful with your body. Taking time to establish the relationship to it, and understanding will come with that. The body uses a language of sensation, gestures and expression, not words. We won’t necessarily understand it intellectually. But think of a person shaking their fist’s in anger, pulling their hair out with frustration, or sitting with their arms folded and their shoulders up at their ears. We all have a good intuition about what’s moving in that person if we were to observe those expressions. Even if they may be saying “I’m fine, how are you.” With time we will read ourselves and others better through this exploration, trusting what we are seeing, feeling and how we are moving, over the minds narrative.
Sorry .. .this might be a repost but can’t find where I posted earlier.
Are you referring specifically to a statement or could it be a question?
Please give an example.
Day 3 was awesome thank you!
It can be either. A statement of how you are feeling works well like, “I’m feeling so angry!” and see how that looks as you move the feeling and the words in your body. Or ask a question and let the body dance the answer back, observing how that looks and feels. An example would be, “How am I feeling?” and then put your awareness into the body, as this how we listen to it. Genuinely curios to know. As your body moves be aware of the feelings, thoughts, breath, gestures, emotions, images, tones, textures and sensations that come. That is the answer. This will bypass the conditioned “I’m fine” the mind usually feeds us. It takes time, but over time your relationship to your body will deepen.
Thank you Brian. Are you refering specifically to a statement, or could it be a question. Please give an example.
Day 3 was awesome, thank you!
It can be either. A statement of how you are feeling works well like, “I’m feeling so angry!” and see how that looks as you move the feeling and the words in your body. Or ask a question and let the body dance the answer back, observing how that looks and feels. An example would be, “How am I feeling?” and then put your awareness into the body, as this how we listen to it. Genuinely curios to know. As your body moves be aware of the feelings, thoughts, breath, gestures, emotions, images, tones, textures and sensations that come. That is the answer. This will bypass the conditioned “I’m fine” the mind usually feeds us. It takes time, but over time your relationship to your body will deepen.
That was lovely. Affirming to notice how much faster the body reached a state of ease and comfort compared to the first day. Sitting here with a full heart feeling so embodied. Thank you.
Michael ! So great to follow your journey! Thanks for leaving comments I really appreciate them!