Five Daily Rituals to Start Listening To Your Body

"Life doesn't need transformation. You simply need to return to yourself — one breath, one moment, one sensation at a time."

Let’s share a moment of raw honesty.

Most of us aren’t truly living. We’re merely acting, operating, ticking boxes.

We rise each morning already tensing for what lies ahead. Our thoughts race before our toes touch the floor.

We mindlessly scroll through social media, disconnected from the subtle ache in our chest, the knot in our stomach, the yearning we can’t quite articulate.

We’re rushing about, yet feeling detached.

Drained, yet restless.

And beneath it all, our bodies quietly whisper:

“Listen to me. I’ve missed you.”

Understanding Your Disconnection

It’s not your fault.

We exist in a society that values achievement over presence, output over pleasure. We are more used to feeling pain than pleasure, because pain has become more comfortable to us than joy.

Here are several reasons why so many feel estranged from their bodies:

• Ongoing stress or unresolved trauma

• Buried emotions like sorrow, shame, and fury

• Years of "behaving properly," minimising needs, and staying invisible

• Nervous systems trapped in freeze, flight, or fawn responses

• Not knowing how to say no or ask for your needs

• The burden to appear "okay" when we're struggling

• And naturally: the constant buzz of technology, deadlines, and demands

From our earliest years, we learned to override our bodies, to push through, to remain polite. We learned to ignore the signals begging us to pause, weep, rest, shout, move, decline.

But here’s what you should know: Your body remembers your authentic self.

Beneath the tension and disconnection, your vitality remains, patiently awaiting your return.

The teacher at the core of my Tantric therapy, Mal Weeraratne, says: “The trauma is held within the body where it is waiting for a trigger to come along and feel. The emotions are like a volcano waiting to erupt throughout the person's life”.

The 5 Daily Rituals to Reunite with Your Body

These aren’t performance-based spiritual exercises, they don’t require incense, special clothing, or enlightenment. Instead, they are gentle, nervous-system-supporting practices that take under 10 minutes daily. You needn’t do more, you simply need to feel more. And the key is to breathe — deep, intentional breath through every moment.

1. The Self-Embrace (1–2 minutes)

Rest one hand on your heart. The other on your lower belly.

Close your eyes. Steady your breath. And whisper aloud:

"I'm present. I'm listening. I'm safe to feel."

This is one of the most potent trauma-informed tools I teach. Your nervous system begins to settle and your inner self starts to release. Your body receives the message it's been yearning to hear: You are not alone anymore.

Breathe deeply here — all the way into your belly. Let your breath create space for feeling.

2. Barefoot Grounding (2–5 minutes)

Slip off your shoes. Stand or walk barefoot — on grass, tiles, sand, earth. No perfect setting required, just feel the ground beneath you. Let your weight sink down. Whisper softly:

"I belong here."

When skin meets earth, something primal awakens.

Grounding releases excess stress hormones and anchors you in the present moment. This isn't mere whimsy — it's physiology.

Allow enough time to decrease inflammation. Exhale tension.

3. Somatic Shaking (2 minutes)

Play music with rhythm — tribal drums, wild beats, even a beloved pop anthem. Stand tall, shake freely. Let your arms swing, your legs bounce, your body wobble. No choreography, no mirror, no need to look graceful. Release your jaw, let sound emerge naturally. This isn't about control — it's about liberation.

Shaking helps release stored stress and trauma. It's how animals naturally regulate after danger — and your body remembers this ancient wisdom.

Breathe continuously and fully as you shake — it's your anchor and your release.

4. Pain to Bliss Ritual

Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and name what you feel — even if it’s just numbness. Gently say what you’re feeling such as:

“I feel anger.”

“I feel nothing, and that’s okay.”

Begin slow, deep belly breaths and move your hips in small circles. Breathe deeply at least 10 times, letting your body feel each emotion fully.

What do you feel? Whisper something to yourself:

“It hurts… but it feels good to feel it.”

Stay with it until a hint of pleasure arises. When it does, let yourself moan softly. Notice where the pleasure is arising in your body — and breathe into it. This is how pain transforms into bliss.

Bonus Practice: Gentle Laughter

Yes, truly. Laugh! Start with fake laughter until genuine giggles emerge. Let it sound silly and let your shoulders shake. Let joy course through your being.

Laughter is breath, laughter is vitality, laughter proves the darkness didn’t win.

You are practicing great work! Releasing ancestral trauma that your parents didnt have the privilege or safety to release! Please don’t forget to add joy, fun, pleasure & weirdness to your practices! 

Real Client Story: Lisa's Return to Joy

"Lisa" (name changed for privacy) came to me feeling utterly frozen in place While the external life sparkled with success — thriving career, loving connections, packed schedule — inside, there was numbness. There were no tears, no joy, no physical sensation of aliveness.

Our sessions were quiet. We focused on movement.

There was trembling. Deep breathing. Open weeping.

Dancing — first awkward, then with stunning grace.

Laughter — real, soul-deep laughter.

A fortnight later, I received this message:

"I spontaneously danced in my kitchen today. I feel truly alive again."

That’s the essence. That’s the transformation - not striving for flawlessness but simply being present. Not treating "healing" like a project — but embracing homecoming as your daily practice.

Wisdom to Anchor You

“Most people are intimate with pain, but strangers to the depths of their own pleasure.” - Leonie Alexandra

"Your body is the gateway to the present moment." – Thich Nhat Hanh

“Our bodies are advanced technology—Tantra is the key to remembering how to use them." – Leonie Alexandra

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