In recent years, the construct of “body awareness” has emerged as a subject of scientific research across a wide range of health, behavioral, anthropological, and even philosophical fields. This construct can be defined as an attentional focus and awareness of body sensations. (Mehling et al., 2009).
Embodiment is defined as the felt sense of being localized within one’s physical body and perceiving the immediate experience of one's body (Arzy et al., 2006; Roher, 2007; Edelman, 2004). It has led the path for overcoming the Cartesian dualism (one thing is the mind and another one the body) to conceptualize, as the neurobiologist Edelman states, that “consciousness is embodied” (Edelman, 2004).
These studies recognize the importance our body plays in shaping our thinking and culture. Going beyond Descartes's “Cogito ergo sum” (= I think, therefore I am) different traditions, methods, and techniques targeted and still target body awareness and “embodied presence” as a way to reduce stress and promote wellbeing (Mehling et al., 2009).
There is currently no agreement on what skills are involved in building good body awareness. However, mindfulness skills (like sustained attention, concentration, non-reactivity, non-judging of experience) are expected to play a major role in creating a controlled and monitored meta-cognitive state of sustained present-moment attention to events within and around the body (Mehling et al., 2009). The scientific literature concerning the effect of promoting body awareness on the reduction of stress and the promotion of wellbeing is growing. Further preliminary results on benefits on health and wellbeing can be found.
In a study by Berkovich-Ohana and colleagues, they discussed how focusing on being present in the moment, being aware of our bodies, and moving away from overthinking can help teachers regulate their emotions better. This shift can also help teachers recognize stress signs, reduce self-criticism, and ultimately improve their overall well-being and social-emotional skills. These factors are crucial for teachers to create and sustain a positive learning environment. (Berkovich-Ohana et al., 2018).
Our Erasmus+ project target group was trainers, educators, social workers, and coaches, who would like to train to empathize (more) with their target group. In our project, we tested the activities with trainers working with marginalized groups of people, e.g. language teachers working with migrants or unemployed people. At the same time, we saw these methods are useful for all types of pedagogues, trainers, facilitators, coaches, social workers, and all people, who work with human beings in order to become more sensitive to the emotions and sensations of the people they are working with.
In our training in Estonia, we learned and explored different types of body-sensing activities including breathing, walking, dancing, meditations, mime, mirroring, and acting. All activities were taken from different methods and schools: mindfulness, theatre games inspired by classical theatre didactics and the work of Agosto Boal, Social Presencing Theatre (SPT) of Arawana Hayashi, and dance therapy. The activities were chosen carefully to promote body awareness and include in different degrees a creative and artistic slant: this choice was based on the document by the World Health Organisation titled “What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being? A scoping review” (Fancourt & Finn for WHO, 2019) that conceptually links the engagement in art and expressive activities to health outcomes. The feedback of the participants in Estonia also reflected this through a range of positive emotions, openness to exploration, mindfulness, gratitude, and a heightened awareness of one's body and well-being. Participants valued the experience and expressed a desire for personal growth and self-care.