I’ve become very aware of my jaw recently. How it is an indicator of when I’m feeling embarrassed, shy, tense, irritated, defensive, judgemental, self critical.

Whenever I notice that it has tensed up, I’m learning to let it release and soften – to feel a gap between by top back teeth and bottom back teeth.

Minding that small gap allows me to feel what else is happening in my body and to see more clearly what has caused the jaw to clench and tighten in the first place.

Perhaps it’s a thought I’m having about myself, a worry about a situation, a judgement about what someone is saying…..

Whatever it is, inviting the jaw to release feels like a small kindness which then changes how I feel, what I can then discover and what I say or choose not to say.

I wonder  what it would be like if we all paused and softened our jaw before interacting with another human being?

Perhaps you could try it as a little experiment this week.

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