Mindfulness Is Good, But Bodyfulness Is Better: Here Are 3 Easy Ways to Practice Bodyfulness by Erica Hornthal

Most of you reading this are probably familiar with the term mindfulness. I mean, 30Seconds has an entire category dedicated to it. Google the word and you will get 214 million responses. Mindfulness is a great way to be more aware of your thoughts and to practice being in the moment. Did you know there is a way to take your mindfulness practice a step further and deeper? How? We can become more bodyful.

That's right, bodyful. Christine Caldwell wrote, "Bodyfulness begins when the embodied self is held in a conscious, contemplative environment, coupled with a non-judgmental engagement with bodily processes, an acceptance and appreciation of one’s bodily nature, and an ethical and aesthetic orientation toward taking right actions so that a lessening of suffering and an increase in human potential may emerge." What does that mean?

Being bodyful means taking your entire physical being into account. Understanding how you move through the world, how your body inhibits or cultivates relationships, and how the way you move impacts your human potential. It is a practice, but it is within everyone. We all have bodies and can embrace our physical existence to be better human beings. How can you practice bodyfulness?

• Begin to draw attention and awareness to how you move in your environment.

• Challenge your movement habits/patterns that are ingrained and often unconscious.

• Expand your movement vocabulary (how your body speaks) by trying new ways of moving.

Your brain is not the only thing that takes in information. Your body feels everything your mind encounters. Pay attention to your body, challenge the way it moves through the world and you will see changes in every aspect of your life.

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