Befriending your body

It is easy to describe the body in terms of appearance or performance. A different kind of description begins with ordinary experience: warmth, contact with a surface, the weight of a cup, or the movement involved in walking across a room.

Begin with a description

Write a few sentences about a familiar activity. Describe what you noticed rather than deciding whether you did it well. “My feet met the cold floor” records an experience; “I should be more graceful” sets a standard.

Leave room for different days

Your notes do not need to tell a consistent story. A movement that felt easy yesterday may feel different today. You can acknowledge the difference without turning the page into a scorecard.

A few writing prompts

• What did I notice while doing something ordinary?
• Which words describe a sensation, and which words judge it?
• What would I like to pay attention to next time?

There is no requirement to finish every prompt or reach a particular feeling. Put the notebook aside when you have written enough. For another introduction to observation, visit Yoga: a place to begin.