For me, my body is a gateway to mindfulness. Before each private meditation sitting, I spend time practicing Tai Chi Chih. This practice involves body movement and the stirring of sensory energy throughout my body, but especially my hands. This makes me very body-aware, which reminds me acutely where I am in space and time, and I become mindfully present.
I am given this experience by most things that focus on my hands, whether it is moving air, or a position of my hands. Touching myself, someone else or some solid object, can have the same effect of bringing me present in a mindful manner, and with that, a glowing sensation of well-being and presence. I touch people and dogs and flowers whenever possible and appropriate.
While this is especially true for my hands, it can be stirred by other parts of my body, and it quickly radiates to the rest of me. Since I began wearing Crocs, which have a ridged inner-sole, I am much more of aware of the bottoms of my feet, an assist for walking-meditation. I now understand better why I so enjoy skinny-dipping in the lake. The sensory experience of putting food in my mouth permeates my whole self.
I am aware that my eyes have a large impact on my being present, but I am still trying to understand this. Sometimes it feels as though my body reaches out and touches something that gets my attention, especially if it is beautiful. Distance seems to be no limitation, no separation . The object and I become present in the same space. This is especially true when I stare into the night sky. Still, if I can touch, that is what I do.
I love and use my body as I never have before.