We all have a body. We know that. But we also forget it. Most of us, at least in the West, try to live through our heads - intellect and rationalism are prized, and the fickle body with its aches, pains, and feelings is disregarded as something to be overcome.
This creates a split between the head and the body. Many of us can't actually feel our body anymore, unless something extreme happens to it.
We have this false idea that if we can 'make sense' of a feeling intellectually, or disregard it, we can make it go away and get on with the important (aka "non-feeling") parts of life. Spoiler alert - it doesn't work like this.
Even though you might be successful at putting the feeling out of your conscious awareness, they live on in your body. They get stored up in there, hour after hour, day after day, week after week. Eventually, their lack of expression starts to rigidify your muscles and bring you pain. Some of us might recognise our body's cry for help and occasionally take it to have a massage or a bath. Many of us though, try to power through, for example by using pain medication.
After years and years of this practice, there are so many emotions stuffed into our bodies that we either start to feel numb or overwhelmed and panicky - sometimes both at once, which adds a nice layer of confusion to the whole experience.
Reconnecting with the reality that you have a body, that you have feelings, and that you have needs, is the first step. It can be surprisingly tricky. It's likely that by the time you try something like meditation or mindfulness or relaxation, your BodyMind is so choked up, stressed and busy that any turning inward feels chaotic and tumultuous.
Wherever you are in this journey, it's worth having a go at reconnecting with your body. Finding a guide who is trained in both the mind and how the body stores emotion can be a wonderful resource on your journey. It will be like learning a whole new language, and it's so worth the initial disorientation and uncertainty that comes with it.
Living with awareness of your Body as well as Mind helps guide your choices to be in your best interest.
If this speaks to you, check out authors/speakers such as Louise Hay, Gabor Mate, or Ken Dytchwald.
If you're interested in working with me, please reach out! I'm based in Albion, Brisbane (QLD) and online.
Written by Anna Wiederroth, Clinical Psychologist (Individual and Couple Therapist).