Rising, Grand Universe!
It’s another early work day, so that I’m up before dawn. For a moment when I looked outside, I thought I might be seeing snow at the edges of awnings and eaves, as though we had received a dusting. Just wishful thinking, apparently, and the shine of street lights.
I went to bed a little earlier than my usual, and I did a little more Integrity Cleanse work before turning in. I don’t know if “slow and steady” will actually win any races, but of this I’m certain – it is better than me not doing it at all!
What I worked on last night was about tuning in to my body in order to recognize how I physically feel when I am in or out of integrity. The exercise calls for reflection on past choices, and noticing my body’s physical responses to even the memories of those choices.
Even as I write this, I am thinking that I’ve shared this information before, Dear One. Yet, it is an essential building block – the mind-body connection – one that I wish to strengthen.
The thoughts that we have manifest physical sensations in our bodies. So much so, that we often use those thoughts to label the physical sensations.
We say that we feel stressed and anxious, when really we have stressful, anxious thoughts that create tightness and clenching in specific parts of our bodies, and perhaps shallow, tight breathing and a fluttering gut (butterflies).
Or, we’ll say that we feel happy, when really we’re thinking happy thoughts, and our bodies respond by feeling lighter and more open, with maybe a tingling or electric sensation and full, deep, cleansing breaths.
The first step is to notice the relationship between thoughts and sensations. Too often, because of an overabundance of negative, uncomfortable physical sensations, we disconnect from our body. Recognizing the mind-body connection means tuning back in. Once we do, our physical responses become our sense of integrity that can guide us.
Please consider this Prompt:
Here are two exercises for you, Dear One.
First, think of ten expressions that you use that actually have a physical component, like “butterflies in your stomach, gut-wrenching, or pain in the neck.” Write down your ten, and then connect what emotion seems to trigger that physical sensation for you.
Second, list the ten emotions you experience the most often. Then, sit with each one, imagining a recent scenario that created that emotion for you, and begin to notice what you can feel in your body while you’re experiencing that emotion.
Keep this list handy, and repeat this exercise daily for the next week. You will likely go deeper and begin to recognize more sensations each time you tune in to your mind-body connection.
Loving the Body Compass – Thank You, Martha Beck. And, for getting me here, Dear Guides!
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