EMBODIMENT RITUAL FOR SELF -CONNECTION AND AUTHENTIC EXPRESSION

Take 5-10 minutes for this short practice to help you feel more connected to yourself and your authentic expression. 

Start your day this way or use this as a practice whenever you feel stuck or frustrated with anything. 

1. Turn off your phone and distractions and find a quiet space for yourself to be alone, possibly in nature. Set context by letting your family or roommates know that you are taking a few moments to be with yourself. Remind yourself of a benefit you may receive from taking a moment to slow down and turn towards yourself. 

2. Light a candle, burn some incense, or smudge the space to consciously shift towards a place of ritual and intentionality. 

3. Start standing. Close your eyes and shift your attention towards yourself. Start by bringing all of the attention to your mind and notice the quality of your thoughts. 

4. After a few breaths of noticing the texture of your mind, allow your focus to drop down into your heart center. Here, begin to notice any feeling tones or emotions you may be holding onto in this moment. Without making your experience good or bad, simply notice without attachment. 

5. After a few breaths allow your attention to now drop down further into your belly and pelvis. Notice physical sensations speaking to you. Where do you feel tight? pain? pleasure? Can you feel your feet on the ground under you? Listen to any movements your body wants. Do you want to move? Do you want to become still? Honor your physical body and allow rhythmic movements, shaking, undulations, stretching, etc. Take about a minute to be with your body in honoring your impulses. 

6. Become still. Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly. Take 3-5 slow deep breaths.

7. Ask yourself "what is authentically here that wants to be known". 

8. Allow for the answer to come through you. Choose a creative outlet to express your authenticity in this moment. 

• Some options would be grab a pen and journal and free write for a few minutes, 
• you could also speak out-loud to yourself or into a voice recorder. 
• Another option would be to get some pastels and paper out and draw. 
• You could also put on a lovely piece of music and dance through your body whatever it is you are holding in your experience. 
• If you have a friend or partner to share your authentic expression with, you can ask them to witness you or listen to you speak. 

9. Close your ritual by finding a seated position on the earth. Take a few more slow long deep breaths. Place your hands at your heart center and bow your chin towards your chest. Offer gratitude to your mind~body~heart for its deep wisdom. Thank yourself for taking a few minutes to be with yourself. Bow forward and energetically seal in your practice time. 

Share what you experienced or gained from doing this practice with me!