Soma Centred Open Awareness is embodied mindfulness – a body centred yet expanded mode of perception accompanied by a calm and resourceful state that promotes spontaneous reflexivity. This is when you are receptive to your own intuition and to the energetic field that connects you to everyone and everything in life.
The following is one of many approaches to establish open awareness. Other approaches are included in the Open Awareness Handbook (free e-book) and in the Jumi Awarenessing tutorial videos.
The steps below can be followed either in a standing, sitting or lying down posture. Your body should be in a comfortable position and symmetric (left and right sides aligned adjacently in the same posture). You should only progress from one step to the next once you have fulfilled each successive step’s task.
- Focus on the rising and releasing of the belly with each inhalation through the nose and slow exhalation from the mouth.
- Become aware of the entire volume of space that your whole body occupies. As you do so, also keep track of your inhalations and exhalations, as well as any other sensations in the body.
- Extend your awareness around your body – surrounding yourself with awareness – like a permeable cocoon or an aura of light/energy.
- Be curious as to how you might experience your body being breathed, as opposed to you doing the breathing.
- Notice how the awareness in your body and the awareness around your body are the same ‘substance’. Your breath serves as a bridge between your inner and outer experience.
- Allow your awareness to continue expanding and notice what you notice, while remaining present with the breath. You might experience your sense of self ‘enlarging’ and may begin to feel a deep connection with everything in life.
- To finish, focus your awareness inside the belly area once again, feeling the physical sensations of your breath. If you feel disoriented at the end, then ‘ground’ yourself by removing your shoes and walking barefoot on a natural surface for a couple minutes.
