What Is the Felt Sense — and Why Does It Matter?

You know that gut feeling you get when something’s off — even if you can’t explain it?

Or that heavy, buzzing, foggy sensation in your chest when you’re overwhelmed?

That’s your felt sense speaking.

The felt sense is the body’s way of holding meaning, memory, and emotion — even before we put words to it. It’s a subtle but powerful inner awareness that helps us tune in to what’s happening inside.

So, why is it important?

Because your body often knows before your mind does.

You might say, “I’m fine,” while your stomach is tight, your jaw is clenched, and your breath is shallow.

You might think you’re just “tired,” when your body is actually saying: I’m overstimulated, shut down, and disconnected.

The felt sense gives you access to truth — even when language falls short.

When we ignore the felt sense:

• We bypass our needs

• We override our boundaries

• We get stuck in patterns that don’t serve us

• We lose the ability to trust ourselves

But when we learn to listen to it, we build inner safety, emotional clarity, and self-trust. It becomes easier to make decisions, understand what we’re feeling, and stay grounded — even in hard moments.

Tuning into your felt sense might look like:

• Pausing to notice how your body feels before answering a question

• Tracking sensations (tight, fluttery, heavy, warm, etc.)

• Letting your body lead instead of just analyzing

• Sitting with a feeling instead of fixing it

This kind of embodied awareness takes time — especially if you were taught to ignore your body’s signals to stay safe.

But every time you pause, breathe, and gently ask, “What’s here right now?”

…you reconnect with your inner compass.

Because healing isn’t just in the mind — it’s in the body, too.

And the felt sense is the language your body speaks.

-Jennifer Grindon