Back In the Body
What’s happening right now in the back of your body?
More than likely you’re going to say, “Huh?”
I’ve noticed that more often than not as humans we default to being overly focused/aware of what’s going on in our hands and in our line of sight/in our minds. We completely lose awareness of the rest of our entire body, especially the back of our body.
So where is your body in space right now? Are you sitting in a chair? Is your back pressed against the back of the seat or the couch? How does it feel pressing against your legs? Are you standing? Leaning against a wall? What is your awareness of your back and what is behind you?
Losing full presence and awareness of our body cuts us off from information in our world. When we get into a limited state of only being aware of what is in front of us and in our hands, our pets can sense this. For animals not being present in the body can be a trigger that there is something wrong in the environment, or something to fear. It does not feel natural to them and signals that there is something to be concerned about.
Take a minute and check in - can you find presence in the rest of your body? Can you be in your whole body and still be aware of reading this page? Take a breath. How present can you be with that breath filling your lungs? How aware of your feet can you be, touching the ground and maybe your shoes?
Take note - what does your pet do when you explore these things? Do they respond if they are near you? Do they sigh? Stretch? Wag their tail? “Lick and chew” if they’re a horse?
If you notice a change in their behavior and energy when you are ‘at rest’ and become aware of your body, imagine the impact this can have if they are excited. What happens if you check into your body when your pet is excited about something?
Our pets often feel a sense of relief when we get back into our bodies because that is a healthy and natural state. Simply adjusting our own awareness in our bodies can open up an opportunity for our pets to find a stronger sense of calm and well being. Practicing this regularly can not only help release tension in our bodies, but it can also become a consistent signal to your pet to help them get grounded and calm when a stressful situation arises.
