Being Audrey Hepburn

A “work-in” to transform how you occupy the space around you.

Every day, I spend time walking with Audrey Hepburn. Not in an obsessive fan-worship sort of way, but by practicing incorporating an element of her presence into my own; namely, her posture, the erect, graceful, and relaxed way she always carried herself. She was tall (5’7”), a former ballerina. She seemed to fully inhabit space without fear, anxiety, or urgency.

About a year, while out on a walk, I became aware of how unbalanced I felt, chin forward, shoulders up, backside sticking out, pressure in my hips and knees, ankles stiff, jaw clenched — I could tell I was “working at walking,” working at getting the job over with. I was, you could say, ahead of my Self. And that made me tense.

I thought about how I might change. I thought of Audrey Hepburn. I decided to “be Audrey Hepburn.”

I was about a mile into my walk. I shifted into creating a really strong image of her whole body in my mind. What stood out? Her profile, chin level, and the straightness of the line that could be drawn from the crown of her head down her back, to the ground. I kept my focus as I walked, began to see her way of being more clearly in my mind’s eye.

I found my shoulders dropping, my head moving backward as my chin lowered to be level with the ground. This move took the tension away from between my shoulder blades and suddenly, I found myself sighing deeply as my jaw relaxed. My walk slowed as my upper body balanced over my lower body. My hips engaged with my legs in a new way, which relaxed my knees and loosened my ankles, so that each foot in succession met the ground with greater purpose, the toes working as part of a single flowing movement.

This discovery only lasted for a few moments, then I lost focus and found my body contracting into its old habit, reflecting my lifelong practice as an introvert stuck in a 5’10” frame.

I return to being Audrey Hepburn whenever I walk, and also when I stand, or sit at the computer, or drive a car. I find the focus, and realignment just happens. It’s so different from most posture prompts: (Stand straight! Push your shoulders back! Lift your chest!) because I’m not forcing anything. Nor am I pretending to be her — I’m simply recognizing, deeply, a different way of being present in whatever I am doing. It’s more about finding a way to incorporate…embody… an awareness that seems to come naturally, or through practice, to some.

My biggest revelation is that it is not really possible to be insecure or shy when your Self and your body come into union in this way.

Want to try?

1. While walking, focus inward and create a really strong image of her whole body in your mind. Or, pick someone else, a man, if more appropriate, whose way of standing and walking you admire. What part of the image has the strongest energy? The straightness of the line from the crown of the head down the back, to the ground? A long neck, head with a level chin? Keep seeing that person who has had an impact on you. (Hint: when it’s Oscar time, observe celebrities on the red carpet!).

2. Keep your focus as you walk, see the person’s way of being ever more clearly in your mind’s eye.

3. Allow the image in your mind to flow into your body as your shoulders relax and drop down, your head moves backward, chin level with the ground. Let your jaw relax. Let your upper body balance over your lower body.

4. Let your hips, knees and ankles and feet relax, your stride loosen and flow easily over the terrain.

5. You may find yourself sighing with relief!

6. You will no doubt fall back into your old habits, but now you have a way to practice bringing your Self and your body into Union whenever you walk, sit, stand, and even when you are lying in bed.

7. You are developing Presence — welcome the sense of being in sync with your Whole Self!