Being in our body

It was almost shocking – the feeling of submerging my body into that crystal blue pool on a brilliant September afternoon.

I can’t remember the last time I went swimming. It had become a long forgotten experience and the sensation of cool water completely suspending me was so foreign, so surprising, that it took my breathe away. It was a visceral awakening and I wanted more. I plunged beneath the surface.

Setting myself to dry in the sun, I thought about the last time I actually inhabited my body? Meditation and yoga will encourage these feelings of mindfulness, but what about all the other experiences we have – the daily experiences – that we miss because of our too busy schedules, our addictions on mobile devices, and fact that we are all too often lost in our own minds. Or perhaps it is that we simply are no longer aware of the pleasures our body can give to us.

Can you remember the sensation of a sweet breeze rolling over your skin? The exquisite moment of surrender during love making? The warm sun on your face on an autumn afternoon? What joys these things are. And yet we rarely acknowledge them let alone feel them as we move along to our next appointed task.

Later that evening, I enjoyed a second watery experience. Bathing in the Jacuzzi in my room, bubbles everywhere, my image and steam reflected in a thousand mirrors. I stayed there a long time until my muscles released themselves leaving me again with a physical contentment unfamiliar.

It had been so long since I’d been nice to myself. When was the last time you were? I think it’s not just a matter of feeling the sensations but also taking advantage of the opportunities which allow us to.