Values embodied
An incredible realization about the body is understanding that it is always in the present moment. Getting in tune with your body is getting in tune with the present.
Values can show up in various parts of the body. Taking an inventory of our body as we reflect on a value can be a highly educational experience. This practice of mindfulness with the body is often referred to as a body scan, where an individual tenses a part of their body and then moments later releases the tension.
Try doing a body scan right now, tensing parts of your body and then releasing them. Start with the top of your head and move down the body, ending with your toes.
After completing your body scan. Reflect on your values overall and consider your own body's connection to your values:
When your values are not aligned, how does your body feel? where in the body do you feel it?
When your values are aligned, how does your body feel? where in the body do you feel it?
Next time you feel very aligned or out of alignment with your values, notice your body.