Body Map

There is an art therapy process that helps connect a person to her body and to the types of intelligence that are in her body, that she may not consciously be in touch with. I like this exercise a lot, and it works well with people who for whatever reason - trauma, for example - find it threatening to "just feel" what's going on their body, but feel safer making a visual representation, a translation that they can then understand more easily because it is in pictures and words. For people who find sensing into their body to be overwhelming or triggering, making a visual representation can be easier. This process helps build a bridge between the "you" you normally hang out in, and your physical you, where a lot of riches lie.

My invitation to you: try the below art therapy process. Use as much or little of the prompt as you feel like - follow your own self and let it be in charge. The intention to make friends with Body can underlie the process.

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Supplies:

~ A large piece of brown craft paper from a roll, or some other kind of large material you can paint on. You can tape separate pieces together. The piece you will work on should be slightly larger than your own physical body. 

~ Paint, pencils, crayons, pastels, markers - anything to make marks on your paper

Steps: 

1. Lie down on the paper in a position that feels good to you, and trace yourself as best you can with a marker, so that when you get up off the paper there will be an outline of where you were. The line will be inexact and that is fine. If someone around you can help, it's great to be traced by someone else. When I've done it alone, I've had to finish parts I couldn't do while lying down.

2. Using paint and markers, including text if you please, make visual indications of sensations and information that you have about that part of your body. If you like, include the area surrounding your body as well, and write down any messages you believe that part may have for you. 

I have done these a few times over the years. This is my most recent one. The last image shows what it looked like when I stopped working on it, the text indicating messages I received from that area of my body intelligence.