Take a moment to settle into a comfortable position.
Allow your body to be supported by the chair,
The floor,
Or the surface beneath you.
Let your eyes close or soften and begin to notice your breath just as it is.
There is nothing you need to change,
Just simply allowing yourself to arrive.
Before we begin,
Let's take a moment to name and understand what we're practicing.
Interoception is the ability to sense what is happening inside the body.
It includes awareness of sensations like breathing,
Heart rate,
Temperature,
Hunger,
Fullness,
Tension,
Ease,
And emotional shifts as they show up physically.
It's one way that your nervous system communicates with your conscious mind.
A key player in this communication is the vagus nerve,
A major pathway connecting the brain and the body.
The vagus nerve itself contains roughly 36 sensory neurons,
Constantly sending information from your organs,
Muscles,
And tissues up to the brain.
When we practice interoception,
We strengthen our ability to hear these signals clearly and respond with intention rather than reactivity.
Research shows that interoceptive dysfunction is linked to multiple mental health conditions,
Including depression,
Anxiety,
Eating disorders,
Substance abuse,
PTSD,
And somatic symptom disorders.
Interoceptive awareness,
However,
Has been linked to improved emotion regulation,
Reduced anxiety and distress,
Better recognition of early stress signals before overwhelm,
Increased vagal tone,
Which supports a sense of calm,
Social engagement,
And resilience.
This practice isn't about controlling sensations.
It's about getting curious,
Listening,
Noticing,
And befriending our body.
Now,
Let's practice an interoceptive experience.
Bring your attention gently to your breath.
Notice where you feel it most easily.
Perhaps at the nostrils,
The chest,
The ribs,
Or the belly.
There's no right place to feel it.
Just notice where your body already knows how to sense the breath.
Stay here for a few breaths,
Tracking the physical sensations of breathing.
The movement,
The temperature,
The subtle expansion and release.
Now,
Gently expand your awareness to include your heartbeat.
You may feel it clearly,
Or faintly,
Or not at all.
And all of that is okay.
You're just simply noticing what is present.
If you can sense your heartbeat,
Notice its rhythm.
If not,
Notice the absence of sensation.
Both are forms of interoceptive awareness.
Next,
Scan your body slowly,
From head to toe.
Not looking for anything specific.
Just noticing sensations as they arise.
Perhaps you notice areas of warmth or coolness.
Tightness or ease.
Heaviness or lightness.
Movement or stillness.
When you notice a sensation,
See if you can name it gently.
This is a pressure,
A tingling,
A softness,
A tightness.
No judgment,
No need to change it.
Just noticing.
If an emotional quality shows up,
Such as calm,
Restlessness,
Sadness or ease,
Notice how that emotion lives in the body.
Where do you feel it physically?
This is the nervous system speaking.
And you are listening.
If at any point the sensations feel like too much,
You can always return attention to your breath,
Or to the feeling of support beneath you.
Interoception is meant to be safe and inviting,
Not overwhelming.
Take a few moments to sit with your internal experience.
Breath,
Body,
Sensation,
Emotion.
All held in gentle awareness.
As we come toward the end of this practice,
Remind yourself.
My body is constantly communicating with me.
I don't have to interpret everything perfectly.
Simply being curious and noticing is enough.
From here,
Carry with you the understanding that interoception is a skill.
One that strengthens with practice.
Each moment of noticing is an act of care,
And an opportunity to strengthen your nervous system and regulate your mental landscape.
Now slowly bring your attention back to the room around you.
Feeling the surface beneath you.
Noticing any sounds around you.
And when you're ready,
Gently fluttering open the eyes.
