So often we go through everyday running from one thing to another and taking little notice of the stress and pressure that we put our bodies through to keep us going and achieving all that needs to be done. You might find that your body often communicates this stress with you through various aches, pains, illnesses and exhaustion symptoms, however many people let their mind ignore these signs and just keep pushing through until the body decides no more.
In order to begin a body gratitude practice the first thing we need to do is to stop ignoring the body and how it is communicating with us. Like any good relationship we need to work on developing a language or communication system that connects all parts of us, rather than keeping the mind and body separate.
The aim of a body gratitude is a practice is to begin developing an awareness and appreciation for your body, its functionality and capacity. It involves acknowledging the physical sensations and capabilities of your body and expressing gratitude for its daily support. There are a number of ways that you can begin developing a body gratitude practice such as:
Connecting and brining awareness to your body:
- Intentional Breathing: Pay attention to your breath and the movement of your body during each inhale, exhale and breath pauses.
- Body Scan: Engage in a body scan meditation, focusing on different parts of your body and noticing how they feel, how they’ve been used and feeling grateful for them.
- Mindful Movement: Practice mindfulness during activities like walking or washing, paying attention to the sensations and movements of your body.
Communicate and express gratitude:
- Gratitude Journaling: Write down things you are grateful for, including aspects of your body and what it has or will do during the day.
- Affirmations: Use positive affirmations about your body and its abilities.
- Lotions and Potions: Take time during your morning or evening routine to use beautiful lotions or creams on your skin, massaging and giving gratitude for how your body has or will aid you during the day.
Show your body you care by:
- Food and Water: Prioritize eating nourishing foods and staying hydrated.
- Rest: Ensure you get adequate sleep, have you got good sleep routines and hygiene.
- Stress Reduction: Use a physiological sigh to immediately reduce your stress as much as possible throughout the day.
Create a new Neural Pathway for gratitude:
- Practice: It may seem a bit odd at first developing these practices and really showing your body daily kindness, curiosity and patience. The more you begin paying attention and awareness to your body, what it needs and honouring this through your actions, thoughts and words, you might just be surprised at how well you both begin to work better once this new neural pathway is developed and strengthened through ongoing commitment to showing gratitude to your body.
