Sustainable Practices for Environmental Leaders
Hang on a Minute! Series
How to Listen to Your Body's Wisdom
Have you ever felt like you were living in your head? You're not alone. My career journey was marked by a series of intellectually stimulating jobs, each chosen to stretch my capabilities and propel me into new adventures. However, in the pursuit of mental milestones, I often treated my body as an afterthought--a mere vessel to carry my ambitions.
Yet, our bodies are not silent passengers. Think about it: that nagging fatigue, the untimely hunger or the sudden bout of illness? These are not mere inconveniences: they are dialogues from the body to the mind and back again.
The body sends signals to the mind through sensations and symptoms, alerting it to imbalances, needs or potential threats, fostering awareness and guiding our responses to various situations.
Emotions are rooted in the body. Feelings interpret those emotions and our thoughts respond to feelings, oftentimes, based upon our belief systems. Our thoughts, emotions and beliefs can profoundly influence physiological processes, potentially impacting our overall health and susceptibility to illness. By tuning into these signals, we cultivate an awareness that enriches our responses to life’s varied scenarios.
To get back in touch with your body, Marci Shimoff, a personal development expert, created this Body Awareness exercise. It is very simple, but it provides an important technique for you to listen and appreciate what your body is telling you. Here is the exercise:
Body Awareness Exercise
- Sit quietly with your eyes closed
- Take a few deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth
- Notice where you feel discomfort, anxiety or tension. Perhaps it’s in your upper body somewhere.
- Carry on breathing, a little more deeply, if possible
- Take a hand or two to that place on your body. Allow your palms to rest there.
- Keep breathing gently and feel the warmth of your hands on that place
- Allow the warm of your hands to comfort this part of your body
- Accept yourself fully at this moment
- Take as long as you need to feel you are complete
- Take a few more deep breaths
- Send loving energy throughout your body, especially the place you just listened to
- Thank your body for communicating with you.
#Marcishimoff#bodywisdom
Sacred Earth Science helps environmental stewards master conscious leadership skills by learning and applying innovative tools and techniques so they can manage demanding workloads, reduce stress, boost their productivity, and achieve work-life balance. Our specialized trainings and Next Level Coaching integrate eastern, western and indigenous science and help clients transform the way they work.
