Lesson 9: Expanding the Circle of Awareness

Cheryl Hanson

Mar 9 • General discussion

Up to this point, most of our practices have been small and contained.

We have focused on noticing support beneath you.

Feeling your breath.

Engaging the five senses in the room you are in.

Allowing gentle rocking or rhythm to help your body settle.

This kind of containment is important. When the nervous system has been overwhelmed or injured, safety often begins in small spaces. A chair. A quiet room. A single breath. The body needs places where nothing unexpected is happening.

But staying in the vehicle does not mean staying confined.

As your nervous system begins to trust the practices, your circle of awareness can slowly expand.

Think of awareness like the light from a lantern. At first, the light shines very close—just enough to see where your feet are. Over time, the light reaches farther. The path becomes visible a little at a time.

This is how capacity grows.

You might begin by simply noticing the room you are sitting in. The colors, the shapes, the sounds. Your body learns: I can be here and stay present.

Then perhaps you notice what lies beyond the room. Light through a window. The movement of trees. Distant sounds from outside.

The body learns: The world can be larger and I am still here.

Eventually, this awareness can accompany movement.

You may step outside and feel the air on your skin. Notice the ground beneath your feet. Walk slowly while staying aware of your breath and the rhythm of your steps.

This is not exercise.

This is moving meditation.

Your attention remains anchored inside the vehicle even as the environment grows wider. You are not scanning for danger. You are tracking yourself.

Your feet touching the ground.

Your body moving through space.

Your breath accompanying you.

With time, this awareness can travel farther.

Perhaps you walk in a quiet park. You notice the sound of birds or the movement of other people nearby. Your nervous system may feel a little more alert, and that is natural. The goal is not to eliminate alertness, but to remain inhabited while it occurs.

You stay with your breath.

You feel your feet.

You remain in contact with yourself.

If at any point you feel pulled out of the vehicle—rushing thoughts, tightening muscles, the urge to withdraw—you can pause. Slow down. Return to the simple practices that brought you here in the first place.

A breath.

A gentle rock.

Feeling the ground beneath you.

Capacity grows this way: not through force, but through repeated experiences of safety while awareness expands.

You are teaching your nervous system something new:

that the world can grow larger while you remain present inside yourself.

And that may be one of the most important lessons the body can learn.

Practice (Optional)

If you feel comfortable, step outside or move to a place where you can walk slowly.

As you walk, notice: