by Ron Surgeon
One powerful, yet simple, way to reduce anxiety and stress is the practice of embodiment.
Embodiment moves us away from or out of the overwhelming swell of thought and more substantially into bodily awareness.
We do this by intentional progressive transition through our five senses (touch, taste, smell, hearing, and sight) to calm the mind. In moments when you feel overwhelmed, this exercise will ground you. I suggest practicing it in times of contentment so that when difficult times arise you will have it there for you as a default response to stress and/or anxiety. I hope you will find it as helpful as I have. Let’s walk through suggestive ideas for each of the five senses to give you an idea of what I am meaning. Here is how it could go:
Touch: Try rubbing your fingertips together as you mindfully give attention to the texture of your fingers or rub your hands against your pants while noticing all that you can notice about the sensation.
Taste: If you have something to taste, then savor it. If you have nothing nearby to taste you can press your tongue against the roof of your mouth activating your sense of taste.
Smell: Try to capture any scent in the air or even smell the back of your hand.
Hearing: Tune in to the sounds around you from the loudest to the most subtle. What do you hear?
Sight: Describe what you see. What do you notice about what you see? Color? Shape?
Remember, we are intentionally and progressively transitioning our attention from one of our five senses to the next.
As you slowly increase bodily awareness through your five senses, notice the impact on your state of being. Notice the shift in your mood. Does it feel calm? Give it a try, even now, right where you are.