"Divine influences are, in fact, the environment in which we are. A sober and quiet mind is one in which the ego does not obstruct the fluency of things that come in through the senses and up through one's dreams. Our business in living is to become fluent with the life we are living."
John Cage

When you first begin to work on yourself, the biggest challenge is getting out of our head. You have been conditioned from birth to view the world through mind, through the story you have created about who and what you are. Because this story is not true, your view of reality is distorted causing a misperception that is the cause of unnecessary suffering and stress.

The second challenge is having the vital energy and fluidity in your body to overcome the debilitating effects of stress, so that we can relax enough to allow deep introspection and inquiry to arise.

These challenges can be overcome by directing our attention to the body so that we become kinesthetically sensitive and aware of our energy and emotions. This is the essence of embodied awareness, the ability to be conscious of our presence in each moment.

There are two types of exercises that I have found to be very helpful to achieving that result, Qi Gong and what I call Intuitive Movement. They both cultivate the deep relaxation of being and fluidity of vital energy that are essential to optimal health and self-liberating inquiry.