All methods and practices offered here are living experiments—provisional, evolving, and ready to grow.
Feel free to tailor them to your own tempo, environment, and personal narrative, whether that means following the suggested path or turning it upside‑down to discover fresh possibilities.
© 2025 Marvin Miles Ferrante (CC BY‑NC 4.0)
Exploration:
1. Settle & Sense:
Lie down in your first spot. Notice the space around you—sounds, temperature, and the feeling of floor beneath your body. Then shift your attention inward, scanning how you feel physically and emotionally.
2. Shift & Compare:
Move to a second spot. Repeat the outer and inner sensing, but also recall the “echo” of your first location. How does your body’s memory of that spot differ from this new one?
3. Third Position & Integration:
Choose a final spot. Again, sense your surroundings, then compare it to the echoes of the first two. Notice any subtle changes or overlaps in sensation.
4. Blend & Close:
Gently “mix” or integrate the feelings from all three positions into the present moment. Take a slow, grounding breath and let the practice settle before you conclude.
Method: Embracing Timelines
Exploration:
1. Mark Your Zones:
Place two strips of tape on the floor, left for Past, right for Future, and lie down in the Present (middle).
2. Ground & Sense:
Close your eyes. Feel the floor beneath you, the space around you, and then shift inward—notice any sensations or emotions.
3. Embrace the Past:
Visualize your life so far on the left side. When you sense a clear image or feeling, extend your left hand as if gently embracing the Past. Pause, letting Past and Present connect.
4. Embrace the Future:
Next, envision your Future on the right side. Once you feel it strongly, reach out with your right hand to embrace it. Again, pause and allow this new connection to form.
5. Return to Now:
Bring both hands back to center, resting them on your body or by your sides. Take a moment to fully arrive in the Present and notice any shifts in feeling or awareness.
Method: Multiple Postures of Stillness
1. Choose Your Space & Props:
Gather any cushions, yoga blocks, or blankets you might need. Find a quiet space where you can comfortably shift between different positions.
2. Start in a Neutral Position:
Lie on your back or sit upright in a way that feels easy to maintain. Close your eyes or keep them gently open, allowing yourself a few deep breaths to settle.
3. Explore Stillness in Various Postures:
- On Your Back (Floor): Notice the support beneath you and how your body naturally rests.
- On Your Side: Feel how your breath and bodily sensations shift when lying laterally.
- Near the Wall: Position yourself so that part of your body (e.g., your feet or back) touches the wall. Observe any changes in your sense of security or grounding.
- On a Cushion: Elevate your hips slightly and see if that alters your sense of stillness.
- Leaning Against the Wall: Sit or lie at an angle, allowing the wall to support you.
4. Settle into Each Pose:
In each posture, give yourself enough time—at least a minute or two—to fully arrive in stillness. Notice your breath, any areas of tension or ease, and how your mind responds to the change in position.
5. Transition Mindfully:
When you’re ready to move to the next posture, do so slowly. Pay attention to how shifting out of stillness feels, then gently settle again.
6. Reflect & Conclude:
After trying several positions, return to a neutral pose. Take a moment to reflect: Which posture felt most restful? Did certain positions bring more ease or clarity? Gently open your eyes and ease back into your day, carrying the sense of stillness with you.
Method: Expanding Embodied Awareness (Inspired by Julie Henderson)
1. Starting Position:
Stand upright and relaxed. First, tune in to your body—notice how your weight is distributed and how your breath feels.
2. Extend Awareness:
Consciously sense the space in front of you. Imagine “reaching out” until you sense the wall’s presence without physically touching it. If you lose that sense, gently refocus your awareness forward.
3. Step Back:
Take one step backward, maintaining your imagined connection with the wall by continuing to extend your embodied awareness. If the connection fades, pause and restore it.
4. Move Forward:
While keeping that sense of contact, slowly move forward again. Observe how your embodied perception of space shifts as you approach the wall.
5. Repeat & Explore:
Go back and forth a few times, experimenting with different speeds and distances. Notice how your internal sense of space adapts with each movement.
Method: Playful Inner Shift
Exploration:
1. Begin with Playful Movement:
Let your body move in a light, spontaneous way—dance, sway, or explore any playful motion that feels natural.
2. Pause & Shift Inward:
Stop the movement and turn your attention inward. Notice any sensations, feelings, or atmospheres arising within.
3. Interact Playfully with What Emerges:
If you sense an emotion, a vibe, or an image, engage with it in a gentle, playful manner. Imagine you’re “playing” with that inner sensation—no judgment, just curiosity.
4. Return to Movement:
Shift back to your playful body movement, allowing any new insight or energy to guide you.
5. Repeat & Explore:
Alternate between outward play and inward awareness a few times. Stay open to whatever unfolds.
Method: 3 Time Zone Shift
1. Mark & Ground:
Go down and use tape or another marker to divide your space into three zones. Settle into the middle zone (the Present), feeling the floor beneath you and attuning to the surrounding space.
2. Shift Inward:
Close your eyes or keep them softly open. Gently shift your awareness to your body—notice your breath, any areas of tension, and the general tone of your inner experience.
3. Explore the Past:
Move or orient yourself toward the first zone. Allow memories of your earliest childhood or notable past experiences to surface. Let any images, emotions, or bodily sensations arise naturally.
4. Return to the Present:
Shift back to the middle zone. Take a moment to fully experience the here and now—feel your body on the floor, your breath, and any changes in mood or tension after exploring the Past.
5. Envision the Future:
Transition to the third zone, imagining yourself at a later stage in life. Notice any hopes, dreams, or anxieties that emerge. Allow your body to respond—whether through a slight movement, a breath pattern, or a sense of anticipation.
6. Adjust & Integrate:
Move between these three zones at a pace that feels comfortable. If transitions feel slow, allow yourself to linger; if they come quickly, let the shift be more dynamic. Conclude by returning to the Present, noticing how each time zone influences your overall sense of self.
Method: Grounding into Uncertainty
Exploration:
1. Settle on Your Knees:
Kneel comfortably on a mat. Press your right knee downward as you extend your right arm upward, creating a gentle pull in both directions. Pause briefly to feel the tension. Then lower your right arm and release the knee’s downward push.
Repeat on the left side: press your left knee down while raising your left arm. After a brief pause, lower your arm and let go of the knee’s pressure. Rest both arms by your sides.
As you settle, recall a secure anchor—a calming image, memory, or sensation—and stay with it for a few moments, allowing that sense of safety to settle in.
2. Shift Forward Slowl:
From this stable position, begin leaning forward inch by inch. Notice any tension or hesitation as you approach the edge of your comfort zone, and simply remain present with any arising uncertainty. Let yourself gently explore that moment of “not knowing” before proceeding.
3. Allow the Fall:
When you can’t hold the posture any longer, let your arms catch you on the mat. Observe the moment of “falling”—what feelings surface as you release control?
4. Pause & Reflect:
Rest your forearms on the floor, noticing the support beneath you. Tune into your breath and the felt experience of that brief drop. Acknowledge whatever arises—anxiety, relief, or curiosity—without judgment.
5. Return to Your Anchor:
Once the initial sensations settle, gently recall your secure anchor. Allow it to re-emerge, and notice how it shifts your inner state. Take a few steady breaths, integrating both the uncertainty of the fall and the safety of your anchor.
6. Rise & Compare:
Slowly push yourself back up to a kneeling position. Pause for a moment and compare how you feel now with how you felt at the start of the practice. Notice any changes in your sense of grounding, confidence, or calm.
Method: Fresh Forming Flow
1. Settle on the Floor:
Lie down in a comfortable position. Close your eyes or soften your gaze, tuning in to your body’s subtle sensations—pressure, warmth, or tension.
2. Listen for the Next Impulse:
As you notice even the faintest urge or sensation, allow it to guide your movement. Let each new impulse become the “right-feeling” next step. This is your body’s fresh forward—the way it naturally wants to continue.
3. Flow or Pause:
If a continuous flow emerges, follow it as long as it feels right. If you sense the need to pause, do so. Stillness can be as meaningful as movement—sometimes your body needs a moment of quiet to discover the next impulse.
4. Interact with Your Environment:
Remember Gendlin’s insight: each movement is shaped by the environment, and in turn shapes what’s possible next. Sense how the floor supports you, how the air feels against your skin, or how your breath changes with each shift in posture.
5. Stay Present:
As you move or rest, remain open to subtle changes—new sensations, emotions, or imagery. Each is part of your ongoing process, guiding you to the next implicitmovement.