EMBODIMENT PRACTICE 1 - Mirror work exercise (5 mins) ✨ (Patreon)

Hi there beautiful people! 

The first of our embodiment practices I'm going encourage you to do is the 'mirror exercise'. 

Whether you are someone who struggles with body image, self esteem...or whether you're someone that already feels confident within themselves...this practice is one that can enrich each and every one of our relationships with ourSelf. 

THE INTENTION: 

To bring awareness to how we perceive ourselves and our body by shining light on our internal dialogue when we look at ourselves in the reflection. 

This awareness gifts us the opportunity to reflect and, ultimately, shift our perception to be one that serves our growth and cultivates a deeper and more enriching relationship with our Self. 

Remember, you cannot change what you do not acknowledge. If we are wanting to upgrade our reality and nurture a more loving relationship with ourSelf, we must first and foremost become aware of how we currently and honestly perceive ourselves...and then we go from there ☺️

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 

• If you have a large mirror you can sit on front of...great! (it's ok if you don't)
• Even better if you also have a handheld mirror to work with...if not, use selfie mode on your phone camera (thank goodness for modern technology!) 
• Paper and pen (to use for journalling) 

WHAT TO DO: 

• Sit down in front of the mirror and explore your body with a soft and gentle gaze. Every part of your body...from head to toe. A handheld mirror is handy for being able to look at all the nooks and crannies, genitals and all! (If you don't have a mirror, you can always get creative and use your phone on selfie mode and record and watch back (you can always delete it after 😉) 
• Try doing so without shame. Release fear. Let go of resistance. This may seem simple for some, confrontational for others. It will be a different experience for each and every one of us. 
• Journal what comes up for you. How does this exercise make you feel? Awkward? Uncomfortable? Ashamed? Aroused? Indifferent? Sensual? Excited? Happy? and so on...write it down. Get it out of your head and onto paper so that you can reflect upon it and refer back to it to observe shifts and changes over the course of this practice for the next month. 

JOURNALLING QUESTIONS: (these are just some examples of self-inquiry questions you could ask yourself if you're stuck for what and how to journal...allow these to act as prompts to better help you to self inquire and bring awareness to your self talk when you look at yourself and your body) 

• What do I see when I look at myself? (beautiful, ugly, sexy, confident, unattractive, mediocre, happy, content, tired...etc) 
• Why do I see myself like this? 
• What do I love about myself? 
• What don't I love about myself? 
• What could I love more about myself?
• How do I relate to myself? 
• How do I show up for myself? 
• In what ways do I show my body that I respect it? 
• Are there times when I disrespect my body? If yes, how? 
• What is my vision of embodied self love? 
• How do I get there? 

WHY JOURNAL? 

It is easy to get stuck in our heads and have a million thoughts racing around. These exercises are most effective when we can get those thoughts out of our heads and use them as a reference point to reflect upon. They assist us in better integrating what we have uncovered and learned during the exercise.

TIPS: 

• Any parts of your body that you seem to have a particular aversion to, I want you to spend an extra minute there, just gazing at that part of yourself. Try to understand WHY you have developed an aversion to this part of your body...WHO told you that you should perceive it in such a way...what about this part of your body don't YOU like...is your distaste for this part of your body perhaps borrowed projections from the outside world (media, family, partners, societal standards and ideals etc) 
• Try to do this exercise without judging yourself...and if you are currently inclined to judge yourself, don't judge yourself for judging yourself! You haven't failed because you judged yourself...this is all a part of the self-awareness journey. 
• Remember, be kind to yourself. Be gentle. Be compassionate. Remind yourself that it is all welcome and accepted. Despite how uncomfortable some of this may be, acceptance allows us to transmute. We are all alchemists in this regard.  
• Try your best to allow this exercise be intuitive. Be transparent and honest with yourself. Commit to the practice! Doing this exercise is a form of showing up for yourself...and your body will thank you for it (even if it feels uncomfortable at first). 

I would encourage you to take 5 mins out of your day for the rest of the month to do this exercise everyday.

If, at all, you feel comfortable enough to embrace your vulnerability and share some of your progress and experiences below, I would love to hear 💕

With love and respect, 

Jessa

Xx

💋