Listening to my body
I am still far from an expert but in the last few months I have been trying to bring more presence to what my body is telling me - and it’s been really fascinating to notice some common patterns / sensations, and try to work out what these might mean.
One of the most common sensations I’ve noticed is feeling hungry or that I want to eat something. I have certainly had a difficult relationship with food over the years - I have always loved to eat well but this has often lapsed into binge eating or eating poorly. By slowing down and noticing when I feel an impulse to eat I have been able to bring a more authentic enquiry into the sensation - am I actually hungry or am I just trying to distract myself from something? Very often it’s the latter and by coming into this enquiry I am better able to elicit a more positive reaction compared to the past where I might have just reached straight for the snack drawer. My diet is still far from perfect but by seeing these ‘hunger’ pangs more accurately I am able to face what’s going on inside, as well as improve how I feel physically.
Another common sensation I have noticed within myself is a feeling of tears welling up behind my eyes (without actually crying). This has been a sensation that goes back as far as I remember - and again, when I slow down and enquire into it, I see it happens at times when I might be feeling challenged, not good enough or afraid. In the past my reaction might have been just to hide away from whatever caused the issue (often only serving to reinforce the idea that I wasn’t good enough to face it). Again I am far from perfect but now when I feel those tears I am trying to take it as an opportunity. I might ask myself what is bothering me and think about how I might face it head on rather than hide away. This is often challenging but also refreshing and it’s nice to feel I am bringing more positive direction into my life.
Other common sensations I have noticed are feeling a tightness in my chest and heart, and feeling unduly tired. I’m sure there are many others I haven’t quite picked up on yet. The interesting thing is that these signals don’t ever seem to go away, even as my reaction to them changes. Maybe they will in the future or maybe not - but either way I do believe that it feels like a real gift to be able to notice them and choose how I react .
It’s a fascinating topic and fits well in the larger world of massage, body-based healing and emotional literacy. I wonder if in this very rational and attainment-driven world that we live in, have we forgotten how to tune into the other parts of our selves? I would love to hear any thoughts you might have - what body-based cues do you have that let you know that something is up? Or do you have a different opinion on what listening to the body could or should look like? Would love to hear in the comments.
