By Bo Forbes, from LAYoga.com
What does it mean to be embodied? And doesn’t yoga already take care of that? When we take a closer look, the answer might surprise us.
Think of embodiment on a continuum. On one end, we have exteroception, in the middle proprioception, and on the far end, interoception. Each of these points says something about where we place our attention: outside us, part of the way in, or deeply inward.
Exteroception, Proprioception, And Interoception
Exteroception deals with the question, “What’s happening around me?” When we’re engrossed in the latest Hunger Games film, scanning a crowd for a friend, working out and hearing our favorite song, or noting the tears pooling in a friend’s eyes—these are examples of exteroception.
Proprioception deals with the inquiry, “Where is my body in space?” When we sense where other people or objects are and know the relative size and movement patterns of our own body, that’s proprioception. It helps us navigate our world without knocking into things or, as often happens, other people. If you’re a weekend warrior, athlete, or yoga practitioner, you need well-developed proprioception; it’s an integral part of good movement.
Interoception addresses the matter of what’s happening inside our bodies. In the interoceptive space, attention turns inward. Awareness matures and becomes subtler. Interoception can be seen as mindfulness expressed in the body. And in the words of renowned researcher Stephen Porges, it can be thought of as our “sixth sense.”
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