Children know embodiment

Somatic practice: Take a moment to get comfortable wherever you are. See if you can rest a little more in your chair or find a place on the ground or standing if that’s more easeful for you. Take a few deep breaths and relax as much as you are able in this moment. Let your eyes move slowly over the words, paying attention to your own emotions and sensations as you read this piece. See what arises. 

Embodiment is what very young children inherently know: They are their body. And their body is amazing.

They experience their emotions fully – by crying, laughing, screaming and smiling.

They are in relationship with the world and everything in it: people, plants, animals, trees and dirt.

They can often meet all types of other bodies and begin playing together freely.

They try new things with their body, enjoy their body and rest their body.

They experience everything in the moment by engaging all of their senses through tasting, touching, smelling, listening and seeing. 

They are aware of their bodies through their skin, tongue, eyes, ears, nose and how they are interacting with the world around them. 

They speak honestly about what they see and experience: They embody truth and integrity. 

They have a curiosity for life and a sense of awe at what is unfolding and possible in this world. 

Can you remember what that feels like in your body?

Body as home

Body as sacred

A place to care for yourself, experience yourself, explore yourself, and belong to yourself? 

See if you can feel into that, even just for a few moments. 

What is your experience of remembering how that feels? 

Additional practice: As children we are so tapped into our bodies—when we need to play, soothe, fidget, wander, scream, cry, snuggle. We are often taught out of feeling, self-soothing, taking care of and loving our bodies for how amazing they are. 

Let’s reconnect with that part of ourselves that knows—our intuition, feelings, our body wisdom. Let’s give some space for embodied self-awareness: to play, explore, be free, find what brings you joy and balance. Listen for how your body wisdom can integrate with your cognitive knowing. 

Let’s embody playfulness like a child who just wants to go play on the jungle gym.

Maybe the jungle gym is an actual jungle gym but maybe it’s a place inside you that you’d love to explore…

A feeling, a sensation, an image or maybe it’s a memory or a song. 

Maybe you just want to sit and listen to the silence, tuning into your senses and how you experience this moment—what you see, hear, touch, smell and taste.

Let’s rest in the space of not needing “to do” anything 

Just tune into your experience in this moment.

Whatever emerges in you to explore through words or a felt sense.