We think more than we feel
This week, I'll be sharing some lessons I've learned as a wellness counselor. These are things I've observed in my clients and in myself—maybe you'll recognize them too.
5 THINGS WE ALL GET WRONG WHEN IT COMES TO WELLNESS:
2) WE THINK MORE THAN WE FEEL.
I’ve learned to never trust my clients when they say, “I think it’s normal.” First off, normal means something different to everyone. And thinking? Well, that’s unreliable because our minds are unreliable.
As sharp and creative as they are, our minds are sneaky. They can lie and maneuver their way around every unhealthy attachment or aversion. They can find ways to ignore or suppress even the loudest of alarms.
Our bodies, however, cannot lie. They are the honorable scout, binoculars around their neck and a vest full of badges marking their experience, calling out life's lessons with a stubborn honesty. If we keep them healthy and balanced, they will continue to guide us to truth.
So much of the work that I do with my clients is about embodiment. Of dropping back into the intimacy of our own physical experience to root us to the here and now. Of paying attention to sensations beyond the ever-constant demand on our eyes and hands that technology has bound us to. I want to know how you feel, not what you think.
In Ayurveda, we learn that the mind is not centralized in our brain. Rather it is a distributed energy pervasive throughout our physical form. This energy serves as mediator between the sensory world and our deeper intellect and wisdom. Getting in touch with your true self begins with getting in touch with the fullness of your body.
An easy way to reestablish a connection to your body is to do a quick body scan in the morning and/or evening. This small ritual grounds you in the present, realigns body and mind, and alleviates tension.
Daily scans can also help you become more familiar with your body’s steady state. That way, when you do experience an intensity of emotion, you can drop back into your body and listen to what it's telling you with greater clarity.
When those moments arise, pause, breathe, and feel into the experience with some of these questions. Bonus points if you answer them out loud to yourself.
Location – where are you feeling this emotion? Is it in your throat, chest, stomach?
Temperature – what is the temperature of that sensation? Do you feel cold or warm?
Energy – is there a new intensity? Is it pulsing? Stabbing? Or has energy stagnated?
Density – what is the weight of the feeling? Does it feel heavy? Light?
Texture – how would you describe the quality? Is it rough, smooth, sticky, tight?
You don’t have to know what these sensations mean. You only have to bring your awareness to them. Over time, you'll start to see the patterns that unite your external environment and your internal environment, helping you understand when you're in or out of balance.
In my experience, things that are good for us feel good to us.