BODILY EXPERIENCE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR THE FORMATION OF THE SENSE OF COHERENCE: FROM SENSATIONS TO THE INTEGRATED "BODY–CONSCIOUSNESS"

Abstract

. In this article, bodily experience is considered as a fundamental foundation for the formation of a sense of coherence, particularly under conditions of prolonged stress and uncertainty. Building on Aaron Antonovsky’s theory of salutogenesis, we propose to expand the concept of coherence by incorporating the bodily dimension-that is, bodily awareness, the perception of bodily states, body image, and the phenomenon of the embodied self. Analysis of contemporary interdisciplinary research indicates that awareness of internal bodily sensations and the ability to make sense of them play a crucial role in linking bodily experience, emotional regulation, and psychological well-being. It is important to understand that it is not the intensity of physical sensations that matters most, but the way they are integrated into one’s personal history and lived experience. This integration determines whet her the body becomes a resource for coherence or a source of additional vulnerability, particularly in the context of trauma, war, or chronic stress. Thus, bodily experience performs an essential function by creating a kind of “supportive framework” for t he sense of internal connectedness across the life path and for maintaining the continuity of the self amid changing circumstances-thereby ensuring the feeling of wholeness. Body-oriented practices, mindfulness, and integrative mind-body approaches can serve as effective means for cultivating bodily coherence and enhancing the sense of comprehensibility, manageability, and meaning-fulness, as well as provide powerful tools for psychoprophylaxis and psychological support. Therefore, the development of a comprehensive theoretical and empirical model tracing the pathway “from sensation to an integrated body - mind” and uniting bodily, emotional, and meaning-making aspects of psychological health is an especially important task.