This blog post was written by Handspring author Sherry Brourman, author of From Bodily Knowledge to Intuitive Movement.
When it comes to sensing distinctions within our own movement, I believe natural human longing for safety coupled with our perfectionistic culture breeds a special self-conscious movement impatience. We’re compelled to know, to rush, to categorize, to perform—whether for others or ourselves—and all of this obstructs bodily presence and the self-awareness that comes with it.
Even the simple intention to shift into a calmer, slower gear—the state needed to take the time to truly feel movement can seem ambiguous or uncomfortably unfamiliar. Initially, just setting that intention may bring anxiety. This isn’t resistance to truth, a character flaw, or the absence of some innate ability that only some people have. Yet it appears and feels subtly defensive.
In over fifty years of observing, discussing, and guiding people toward greater movement sensitivity, I’ve come to believe that simple underexposure is the main barrier. Whether chemist or athlete, most people have had little experience with this kind of inner attention—and so we can grow shy, even to our own witness, much less someone else’s.
Please sit upright in a chair as you read this next part. For today, I’m choosing a less common area as more familiar tensions often fade into background noise making them harder to discern—so we aim for a place new enough to grab your attention. The exploration begins with the more recognizable layer (physical) and moves to deeper layers (mental, emotional, spiritual) as we stay with the process.
Please begin leaning a bit forward in your chair and lifting a heel so that you’re leaning on the toes and ball of that foot; toes pressing into the ground and heel lifted. ‘Listen’ to your toes, as they press into the ground. Then:
- Pause and scan your body for tension.
Now, trace what else is involved in this sensation.
- Is there tension in an adjacent joint or muscle?
- Does an entire leg or even the entire body weigh in to this sensation?
- Might this reflect a movement habit like commonly lifting a heel when sitting, that repeats regularly.
Try describing every nuance you notice:
“When my heel rises, I press my first three toes into the floor along their medial sides. My knee rolls inward slightly, my same side hip gets tired, and my medial calf stays subtly tense.”
Now, widen your scan:
- Is there unrelated tension in your jaw, neck, or chest that tends to accompany this pattern?
- What about your breath? Don’t change it—just observe its rhythm and depth.
If you notice shallow breathing or a rhythm shift, pay close attention—Is it familiar? Does this breath rhythm feel relaxed or somewhat tense? Now, down-shift even a small amount to level the rhythm a bit. Then ask:
Did that shift also influence the tension in my toes? Anyplace else?
As you notice and name sensations, the language you choose becomes a bridge: between subtle awareness, physical action, and your relationship with other bodily systems. This kind of linking is at the heart of bodily awareness.
And then perhaps—if you stay with it—you might sense even finer threads:
- Does this tension carry an emotion?
- Is it old?
- Does it muddy or clarify your current thoughts or intentions?
This sample can be tricky since just reading and sensing in this position can be cumbersome and render it seemingly useless. Do this process- take your time with a different posture/tension and then talk someone through as their guide. With a little more sampling, you’ll be able to use it comfortably and get a good sense of how reading inwardly, articulating for yourself, brings bodily awareness and improves your ability to articulate with others.
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From Bodily Knowledge to Intuitive Movement prepares physical therapists, yoga therapists and all movement practitioners to recognize various components of discomfort including the bio, psycho, social and spiritual contributions to posture, movement patterns, and to their pain. This book offers practical advice, real-life examples and case studies as well as deep insight into how individual bodies can move and heal within each body’s ‘normal.’ Sherry Brourman masterfully coalesces physical therapy, yoga therapy and pain science to create this valuable resource that ultimately utilizes intuitive movement for better health.