Have We All Just Silently Agreed to Ignore Our Bodies?

It’s 3 pm. You take a slight pause from your chaotic day only to notice that you are light headed and have a hollow uncomfortable feeling in your stomach. You try to make sense of the sensations only to realize that coffee has been the only thing to touch your lips all day. Now you know why you are feeling sick…and now you know what to do about it. Your mind continues to move quickly as you snack on a granola bar, but as soon as you give yourself this moment of nourishment, the sensation of hunger takes over. While you couldn’t feel the hunger before, in this moment of pause you give yourself permission to recognize what you need. A proper lunch is in order.

Our bodies are amazing. These complex informational systems in constant communication with us. They let us know when to rest, to eat, to use the bathroom, to breathe, to cool off, to warm up, to move, to stay still, to cuddle, to be alone. Bodies have sophisticated built-in networks of intelligence that alert us so that we can support and take care of them. In fact, we can think of our existence as a symbiotic partnership occurring between our consciousness/self and our bodies. One cannot be without the other. We need each other to survive the human experience. For most, the body is a sublimely generous organism…unconditionally giving, demanding very little in return. An automatic regulatory system that keeps us in balance and flow, literally giving us the gift of life…and what does it ask for? Some food, water, and sleep? Our bodies simply ask us to spend a little time listening to and doing our best to honor their requests. I’d say in this partnership, we’re the ones #winning.

However, as simple as this sounds…you know, “listen to your body and give it what it needs,” human beings are PRETTY awful at doing this. We have a universal tendency to ignore our bodily sensations, focusing instead on the mental chatter that seems to drown everything else out. We tend not to think of our bodies as these systems with their own set of needs, independent from our “selves.” For many, the body is not thought about much at all. Of course there are those who think deeply about bodies for various reasons. Some who focus great energy on what is happening on the surface, on appearance. There are those who work with the body professionally, physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, massage therapists, dancers, athletes, fitness trainers, etc. and so think about the body from their educational or experiential perspective. There are also those who are afflicted with bodily ailments, pains, or disabilities which make it impossible for them to ignore their bodies. However, for the vast majority of humans, we just expect our bodies to do the things they are supposed to do. We expect them to work. But when they don’t…we are upset, frustrated, saddened, annoyed, inconvenienced, angry. We spend very little time thinking about our bodies until they scream for our attention, and only then when discomfort takes hold, do we actually take time to pause and acknowledge their requests.

This seems wholly inefficient, does it not? Why do we walk around ignoring ourselves until we are given no other option? Why does it not occur to us to run a systems test every now and then to see where we are at and what we might need? To notice if we need to stretch, eat more protein, or get more fresh air? As offspring of Mother Earth our bodies are in continual flux, just as are the cycles of nature. As we learn to become more attuned to their natural rhythms we can learn how to care for them in any given moment. Right now you may need more rest than you think is “ok.” Later you may require more carbs than you think is “ok.” Tomorrow you may need to move more slowly than you think is “ok.” When it comes to our own individual bodies, there is no one-size fits all approach. Sure, we can collectively agree that there are certain foods and activities that are healthy; however your body may be asking you for something outside the realm of what you know to be “healthy.” This is to say, if you have been doing the same exact exercise routine for the last 10 years because you once read that it was a comprehensive whole body workout, this does not mean that you have been adequately caring for your body. Your body might be saying…hey, can we move in some other ways? It might even be saying…hey, I’d love some more rest days! We cannot know what we need unless we meet our bodies with patient non-judgmental ears so that they may be acknowledged and heard.

This idea of tuning in does not apply only to our physical needs, but to our emotional needs as well. Our body is a massive database for emotional information. It is ready for us to log on and check it out whenever we are ready to do so. (The password is: Mindful_Attention!) As we get in touch, we may realize that underneath it all we are experiencing emotions that are deeper or more meaningful than we’ve allowed ourselves to feel. Just as our head aches from hunger when we don’t eat, our emotional system aches when we don’t acknowledge our feelings and care for them accordingly. For example, Water is to Thirst as _____ is to Sadness. A) A Good Cry B) Hugs C) Talking it Out D) Journaling (I’ll let your old SAT chops come back online to answer that one.) Understanding our physical and emotional systems, how they work, what they are trying to tell us, and how to take care of them seems like one of the most essential partnerships we could ever have in our lives, am I right? So, the big question is…HOW COME WE IGNORE OUR BODIES? How come we wait until our body aches and we are on the brink of passing out before we even pause to think about what we need?

I am here to let you know that it does not have to be this way. While our bodies are fairly low-maintenance, they are not no-maintenance. Think about forming a partnership with your body, the most worthwhile partnership you will ever have. The partnership which gives you life. Become intimately familiar with its requests, its voice, its needs. Think of it as a precious resource to be cared for and cherished. As you take care of it, it will take care of you in the most beautiful of ways. Spend a few minutes each day checking in, wondering what it would like, what it might need, how you can be a better partner to it.

Let’s practice. Here, now, I invite you to listen. Breathe, tune in, and feel your physical and emotional body. Activate this partnership between mind and body. Scan down from head to toe and notice along the way if there are any aches, pains, or sensations that would like your attention. Internally ask your body what this means, if it needs anything – something to eat, to drink, body lotion, something snuggly to wear? Does it need more oxygen in its lungs? To be immersed in nature or art? Does it simply need to turn in early and get some deep rest? Does it need to stop obsessing over things and slow down? Does it need more organization? Less pressure? More soothing? The intelligence of your body will direct you where to go. All you have to do is listen.

With mindful patience and love,
Alix ✨❣️