The Practice of Connecting to Your Body
We live in a world that encourages us to disconnect from our bodies. From a young age, we are taught to override our body’s signals—to push through exhaustion, suppress emotions, and prioritize productivity over presence. We manage how we feel with our minds, often ignoring the wisdom held within our physical selves. But it’s never too late to learn to listen. Feeling connection to our bodies is a practice, something we cultivate over time with intention and patience.
As a mother, that was disconnected from my body for most of my life, it is important for me to teach my children the value of listening to their bodies. I want them to grow up with an understanding that their bodies are wise, that they deserve kindness and care, and that they can trust what they feel. By helping them build this connection early on, I hope to support them in developing a healthy, loving relationship with their bodies—one that will serve them throughout their lives.
My eight-year-old daughter has started asking me to guide her through meditations at bedtime, and it has become my favorite part of the day. In these moments, I am reminded of the simple yet profound ways we can foster a relationship with our bodies.
We begin by bringing awareness to the breath, noticing the gentle movement of air as it flows in and out. I explain to her how deep, slow breathing sends a message to our nervous system that we are safe, that we are okay. The breath is always there for us, a tool we can turn to when we need grounding and calm.
From there, we move into a practice of gratitude—appreciating all that the body does for us each day.
“Thank you, lungs, for bringing in fresh oxygen and nourishing every cell in my body. Thank you, heart, for beating steadily, sending blood through my veins. Thank you, brain, for helping me think, learn, and dream. Thank you, digestive system, for extracting the nutrients from my food that I need to be healthy and strong and for releasing what my body doesn’t need. Thank you, immune system, for protecting me by fighting off germs and infections.”
This moment of appreciation is something I never experienced as a child. No one taught me to thank my body, to acknowledge its efforts, or to honor its needs. Instead, I learned to criticize it, to see it as something to be managed rather than cherished. Now, as I guide my daughter through this practice, I am healing and deepening my own connection to my body alongside her.
After gratitude, we shift into rest. Moving from head to toe, we invite relaxation into each part of the body. The forehead softens, the jaw releases, the shoulders drop. The arms, hands, belly, back, hips, legs, and feet—each part is allowed to let go, to become heavy, to settle into rest. As she melts into her bed, I remind her that her body is held and supported by the earth beneath her. There is nothing more to do, nothing more to think about. Just rest.
This simple practice is a powerful reminder that connection to the body is not automatic—it is learned. It is something we must cultivate through attention, curiosity, and care. It requires slowing down, listening, and creating space for sensation and emotion to be felt rather than suppressed. It takes practice.
An Invitation to Practice: If you are longing to feel more at home in your body, I invite you to try this meditation tonight. Find a quiet place to lie down. Close your eyes. Begin with your breath. Notice the air as it moves through you. Offer gratitude to each part of your body. Then, allow yourself to soften, relax, and simply be.
Your body is always here, waiting for you to listen.
If you're looking for more ways to slow down and tune into your body, I invite you to check out my monthly Somatic Cacao Circles, or contact me about 1-1 somatic support.