Trust your Body’s Intelligence
Much of our cultural conditioning has caused us to disavow the vast intelligence of our bodies in favor of the far more limited (yet palatable) trappings of our intellectual minds.
We’ve been taught to deny, suppress, and ignore the sensations we’re experiencing if they impede our productivity by the same culture that profits off of our productivity (and our resultant sickness).
The problem is when our bodies (inevitably) begin expressing symptoms of the disconnection our culture has created. This is not to blame culture, but to inspire a reflection as to the degree of your participation with it! Just to be born into this cultural framework does not guarantee your continued participation with it and fortunately the choice (as always) is yours!
The pathway to greater sovereign autonomy over your vessel is through gaining understanding (and eventually mastery) over your Nervous System.
Begin by observing the subtle shifts your body makes in response to your daily activities. In order to meet a variety of demands, your Nervous System alters its output. For example, if you’re doing cardiovascular exercise, your oxygen demand rises, causing your Nervous System to move into a more sympathetic (fight/flight) state which features a deeper/heavier breathing pattern.
On the other hand, if you’re working at the computer, your metabolic demand is low, yet your stress may be high (which can also move your Nervous System into a more sympathetic state!)
As you move between working, exercising, resting, and socializing throughout this week, notice the quality (depth, rhythm) of your breath. Notice your breath right now as you’re reading.
The aim of your noticing isn’t to willfully change your breathing pattern or to make a judgment that it’s “wrong” if it seems too shallow. Step one is just to notice! You can even keep a journal of your findings as it’s only after collecting a handful of data points that you can begin drawing conclusions (note how your mind may want to draw conclusions immediately and recognize this as your cultural conditioning).
Let me know how this exercise goes!
I’ve found the process of liberating old dense programs from my mind (through my body) to be empowering and creative. You will almost certainly find something pure and original on the other side!
If you’re seeking bodywork support and additional guidance on your reclamation journey, reach out. I would be honored to witness your true expression!!