Bodily experience refers to our subjective awareness of the sensations and movements occurring in our body and the environment in which it is situated. This includes a wide range of phenomena, from subtle micro-movements of the skin and muscles, to the coarse sensation of gravity or wind. Bodily experience is an essential conduit for both information about the body’s own state and also for emotional experience, connecting us to our environment and enabling us to interact with it. Importantly, bodily experience is not just about the sensations perceived, but is inextricably linked to our response tendencies and the integrated sense of self that it brings.

See also: phenomenological approach, developmental psychology, physical body, felt sense, perception