More to come!
Sensation Vocabulary
These are words that are either clear adjectives or words that evoke sensation and may be used to more clearly communicate the language of the body.
These are words that make sense to my body.
This list was inspired by a similar offering from Debbie Rosas Stewart and Carlos AyaRosas in their work in Nia as well as contributions from other Nia teachers.
Powerful Quick Achy Soft Showy Sassy Loose Jangly Slippery
Weightless Precise Free Centered Light Graceful Liquid
Energetic Sloppy Crispy Electric Lively Expressive Empty Warm
Full Fluid Heavy Responsive Solid Playful Tight Linear Bound
Sharp Mechanical Wild Yang Masculine Stuck Slow Connected Sexy
Flexible Rooted Strong Aggressive Floaty Mushy
Languid Cold Prickly
Stable Yummy Hollow Yin Feminine Bubbly Fit Relaxed Weary
Adventurous Alert Bold Fidgety Hot Calm
Luke-Warm Unsteady Weak
Fluffy Stimulated Wide Sticky Vibrant Oscillating Unstable Tense
Juicy Dry Coarse Silky Velvety Crunchy Smooth Taut Rigid
Shivery Slinky Feline Open Closed Circular Agile
Curvy Still Subtle
Confident Organic Expansive Edgy Stuck Coooool Deliberate
Accidental Restless Awkward
A few of these words are usually associated with emotional states. Avoid this association by remaining body and sensation-centered.
Practice:
You can play with this list by paying attention and using the words to give voice to your body’s communications. You can also pick one word at a time and move each one. Sense these words in your body rather than thinking them. How would “crunchy” move? How does “mushy” move? If it doesn’t come right away move on without judgment. If you don’t get anything, it’s ok. Go through the list then move on with your day.
Go back to this exercise at least once a week. Awareness takes practice. Give yourself the time you need to adapt. It will come. When you practice, play without a mirror. This practice is an avenue to discovering Your Body’s Way or your body’s nature. This practice will heighten your sensitivity to your body’s well-being. In turn, this practice can also heighten your awareness to the world around you. Discovering Your Body’s Way is a tool for taking your wellness, fitness and performance to a higher level as well as re-connecting to life in a global way.
This is all about sensation.