Somatically Sensing Thoughts and Emotions Developing Skillful Means to Being with What Is

with Jill Satterfield
The body feels before the mind cognizes. Being embodied gives us the ability to sense thoughts and emotions as they are formulating before they’ve captured us cognitively.
Within this awareness is sensitivity to Upadana, attachment and aversion, which begins as sensations. Feeling subtle shifts of contraction is sensed in the body and breath giving the gift of time to respond rather than react.
We can familiarize ourselves with the sensations of Ahimsa by noticing their absence: a relaxation of the heart; a softening of the body. When we learn to recognize the absence of Ahimsa, we can begin to notice when harmful states are arising. Embodying these states of more expansive awareness becomes more natural and available with time.
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Jill Satterfield integrates somatic and contemplative psychology with 35 years of Buddhist study and extensive silent retreat practice. At the invitation of her primary teacher, Ajahn Amaro, Jill was the first to offer mindful movement in silent retreats at Spirit Rock and Insight Meditation Center 29 years ago as a way to integrate more embodied awareness into Dharma. She has taught with him ever since, including most recently at Spirit Rock. She was a close student of and taught on Tsoknyi and Mingyur Rinpoche’s retreats as well as many other teachers in the Theravadan and Tibetan lineages. jillsatterfiel...