3 Ways to Connect the Bodymind
Earlier this week, I was outside in the backyard lying on a blanket, listening to the needs of my body.
I had spent three hours glued to my chair with hour after hour of calls (Great calls! Wonderful calls!).
My body wasn't too thrilled.
She told me about the benefits of spaciousness, of allowing time between calls.
"You don't always have to cram everything in! Take your time. Breathe. Give yourself time to feel life."
Lately the wisdom of my body has been coming in waves, and I've been listening.
My mind, though, is a little nervous.
I'm working on connecting to the wisdom of them both, tuning in to their unique perspectives and strengths, to ultimately have more options and more choice about how to live.
Here's what I've learned so far about connecting to the bodymind so neither the mind nor the body feels left out:
STEP 1: Listen to Your Mind
When my mind is in a crazy whirlwind of remembering, thinking, processing, I feel chaotic, stressed, and stretched to the limit. Many thoughts are repeated throughout the day, creating an almost echo effect that drives me crazy. I'm not thinking about 50 million things. I'm thinking about 5 things 10 million times.
Take time to freewrite for five minutes (set a timer!), write a list, or call a friend to talk your way through things. This frees up some of your mental resources. This allows you to see or hear what you're actually dealing with. By engaging the senses of sight and sound, you begin to connect with the body.
STEP 2: Listen to Your Body
When my body is tired, overrun, and treated poorly (Brownies?! Don't mind if I do!), I feel depleted, exhausted, and incapable. Many times I feel like I'm dragging myself through the day just to survive.
I don't want to survive, though.
I want to thrive!
Tune in to your body. Take a deep breath filling up your lungs so even the part below your belly button seems to inflate. As you exhale, follow your attention through the body down to your toes. While you continue to breathe, scan your body for sensations or the location of any emotions you feel.
What wisdom do they have for you? What are they trying to communicate? Speaking the sensations and words out loud engage the cortex and connect your brain with your body.
STEP 3: Dance with the Bodymind
When my mind is busy and/or when my body is tired, the last thing I want to do is move. But it's time to shake it out, clear the body-mind, and let fresh energy in.
Based on your freewrite, list, or conversation in step one alongside the sensations and emotions you felt in step two, pick one-to-three songs that suit how you desire to feel in this moment.
You've connected to the present-moment state of your bodymind, so now get up and dance!
Let yourself go. Feel into your body. Sing the lyrics. Shake! Dance! Sing! Feel!
Choose to THRIVE.
And keep connecting to your bodymind. <3
Hugs and smooches to your thrivingness,
Daniela
