Menu of Body Arts
"Here's a sampling of ideas to prime your creative juices so you can create your own menu of simple body invitations. These ideas are meant to help you listen to sources other than your mind's chatter and tap into a greater source of energy. A tad of creative thinking will help you tune in to your body with greater richness and variety.
"What's at Hand: Touch something and notice its texture. This can be your shirt, your skin, the couch you are lying on, the rug under your toes, the person sleeping next to you, the paper you are reading these words on.
"Eavesdrop: Focus on a sound in your environment: bird song, wind in the trees, traffic, a child calling for her mother, the fridge whirring, music playing nearby, your partner talking in the next room.
"Eyes On: Look at something closely: the texture of one finger, the color of your toenail polish, the way the light refracts through your water glass, the dancing dog in the print over the fireplace, the ad for debt relief over your head on the subway.
"Prayer Hands: On an inhale, open your arms to your sides and then bring them overhead until your palms touch; on an exhale, bring your hands down in front of your heart.
"Tension Extractor: Inhale and scrunch up your face, draw your shoulders to your ears, hunch over into a ball. Hold your breath for as long as you can, and with a loud exhale through your mouth, let go, flinging your arms open and imagining yourself as butter melting on hot, fresh popcorn.
"Liberate Your Neck: Allow your head to hang forward like a ripening sunflower; breathe and very gently allow your shoulders to drop away from your neck. Move your neck gently from side to side, in small, kind movements.
"Ear Love: Massage the outsides of your ears, from top to bottom. If you like, stick your fingers in your ears and listen to the sound of your breath for a moment.
"Crown Pull: Place your thumbs on your temples and your fingers at your hairline, near your part. Pull your fingers firmly toward your thumbs, and imagine yourself opening your head and allowing anything that needs to be released flying out and away.
"Repeat over your entire head by moving your thumbs and fingers back an inch or so until you have 'pulled open' your head from the front to the back of your neck — let your pressure be firm (adapted from Donna Eden's Energy Medicine).
"Buzz: Put your fingers in your ears, as if a friend were about to tell you how a movie you haven't seen yet ends. Inhale, and on your exhale, make a buzzing sound, as if you were a peaceful bee going about her business, content in the knowledge that she is in the right place, doing the right thing.
"Oh Head: Place one hand on your forehead and the other on the back of your head. Inhale, and as you exhale, let out a loud, long 'ah' or 'oh' sound.
"Here is an example of one way you can combine body moves to enliven your energy:
"Inhale, and on your exhale, sigh (as loud and as long as your surroundings allow). Do Liberate Your Neck. On an inhale, slowly straighten your neck and lift your arms overhead, interlacing your fingers, with your palms pointing toward the ceiling. Exhale. On your next inhale, stretch your hands up while your shoulders descend as if someone were gently pulling your shoulder blades down.
"Finish with Ear Love.
"Time needed: one minute, or as long as you like."
