During Every BODY Belongs in Bozeman week we had events and learning opportunities everyday. One of the first events we had was the wonder walk, a walking meditation with Liz Domenech, which turned out to be the perfect grounding exercise to get us ready for the week ahead.
Liz led us through a short guided meditation, and then a walk around the Story Mill Nature Sanctuary, a quiet, peaceful sanctuary in the center of Bozeman. She had thoughtful journal prompts for us about feeling present in the moment, and feeling safe and at home in your body.
Walking through the nature preserve, feeling the rhythm of our steps, the beating of our hearts, and then motion of our breath centered us in the moment, and allowed us to notice the landscape and wildlife around us.
From the bunnies in the underbrush, to the redwing blackbirds and the deer, Liz helped us to not only see what was going on around us, but truly take it in, and to use that awareness to focus on what we were feeling.
In our daily lives, it can feel so hard to slow down and tune into what we are feeling in our bodies or our minds. If you feel like you’ve been on autopilot, and are ready to pause and remember how to listen to your body, feel free to use one of these journal prompts as an opportunity to check in with yourself. And if you are interested in experiencing Liz’s presence and thoughtfulness for yourself or your group, connect with her on Instagram or via her website.
Prompt 1:
This prompt focuses on remaining in presence by engaging the senses. Invite yourself into deeper attention by calling each sense into focus:
- What’s the furthest thing I hear?
- The loudest thing I hear?
- The slightest thing I hear?
- What am I not hearing?
- What do I see around me?
- What do I see at ground level?
- What do I notice in front of me? Behind me?
- What do I smell?
- What do I smell strongly?
- Can I smell anything faintly?
- What do I taste?
- What do I feel?
- How are all of my senses combining to bring me fully into this moment?
Prompt 2:
This prompt focuses on exploring what it feels like to belong in our bodies. What did it feel like to move through nature with presence? What does it feel like in your body when you feel safe in a space- when you feel fully present and at ease? When do you feel most at home in your body?
What does it mean to you to inhabit your body in a landscape? What landscapes help you to feel at home in your body? What might it mean to belong to a place?
