Awareness in the Body – Awareness in Life
Introduction
“Awareness in the body – Awareness in life,” is the third class in a three-part series on the Breath hosted by Abdi Assadi and Pernilla Burke.
There is a moment, between thought and action, between inhale and exhale, where presence lives. For most of my life, I wasn’t aware of it. I lived in my thoughts, in the noise of my own mind, always somewhere other than here. But presence isn’t a concept. It’s a practice—a way of being in the body, feeling the breath, sensing the world around us without distraction.
In this episode, Abdi and I explored a deceptively simple but transformative idea: awareness in the body creates awareness in life. Through posture, grounding, and breath, we shift not only how we experience the moment but how we move through the world.
Shifting Awareness from the Mind to the Body
For most of my life, I lived in my head—overthinking, analyzing, replaying conversations, planning what’s next. The constant swirl of thoughts created an illusion of control, yet it left me ungrounded, scattered, and disconnected from the present moment. It wasn’t until I started working with body awareness—learning to shift my attention into my feet, my breath, my spine—that I realized presence isn’t something you think your way into. It’s something you drop into.
Abdi and I talked about this in the episode: the simple, profound act of bringing awareness into the body as a tool for presence. When we are fully in our bodies, we meet life differently. Stressful situations become less overwhelming. We stop reacting from old patterns. We gain what Abdi calls “awareness of awareness”—the ability to witness our own experience without getting lost in it. Chinese medicine and martial arts teach that energy follows awareness. If we are constantly living in our heads, our energy is scattered. But when we bring our awareness into the body—especially the feet—we become rooted, stable, awake. I have been practicing this shift for weeks, and it’s been a game-changer. Instead of getting lost in thought, I bring my attention to my feet, let my breath deepen, and suddenly—I’m here.
The Connection Between Posture, Energy, and Presence
Our posture is not just about how we look; it’s about how we exist in the world. A collapsed spine, a tight jaw, a forward-thrust chin—these aren’t just physical habits. They reflect something deeper: stress, tension, disconnection. Abdi spoke about this in the episode, pulling from martial arts and ancient Chinese medicine. When our posture is aligned, energy flows freely. When we are misaligned, energy gets blocked, and we feel it—fatigue, stress, emotional reactivity. So, how do we realign? It’s simpler than you might think. A gentle adjustment: chin slightly in, spine elongated, shoulders soft. A shift in awareness: feeling the feet, the breath, the subtle hum of energy in the body. This is not just about standing up straight—it’s about occupying our own presence fully.
What fascinates me most is how posture influences not only our own state but how we interact with others. A grounded posture isn’t just about feeling good—it radiates presence. I’ve noticed this when talking to my children. If I’m tense, disconnected, rushing, their energy mirrors mine. But when I ground myself—feet on the earth, breath steady—they, too, settle. Posture, it turns out, isn’t just physical. It’s energetic, relational, spiritual.
The Impact of Grounding on Others
I have been thinking a lot about this: how our state of being influences the people around us. Abdi shared a powerful story from his early work with recovering addicts. In a room full of 50 men, many just out of prison, the energy was raw, intense, often chaotic. He learned quickly: if he lost his own center, the room would pull him in. But when he stayed rooted—aligned in his body, calm in his breath—the energy shifted. The room settled. People responded differently. This is something I’ve felt in my own life, in subtler ways. In the kitchen, cooking dinner, when the kids are wild and chaotic. If I let my energy get pulled in, it escalates. But if I stay with my breath, my feet on the ground, my spine long—something shifts. They settle. Presence is contagious.
I love the story Abdi shared about old Zen monasteries. In traditional Zen practice, only the most enlightened monks were allowed to cook. Why? Because presence permeates everything—even food. I think about this now when I’m making tea, preparing a meal, or simply sitting with my family. What energy am I bringing into this moment? Our awareness is not just for us—it spills into the world.
Conclusion
Awareness is not something we “get” once and for all. It’s a practice—moment by moment, breath by breath.
I invite you to try this. Right now, as you’re reading this, pause. Feel your feet on the ground. Bring awareness to your breath. Adjust your posture—chin gently in, spine long. Notice the shift. Presence is not something we need to chase. It’s already here, waiting for us to arrive.
