Training Body and Mind
This metaphor will resonate if you're into movement, physical activity, working out, exercising, or whatever verb you use to describe how you move your body. Physiologically speaking, mobility refers to the depth of range of motion a person can perform safely without pain. Range becomes accessible strength is developed (you can probably see where this is going). Like the human body, the mind works best with power, flexibility, depth, and exposure to new techniques.
It's All Somatic. If you've been in therapy, your therapist has probably asked you, "And how does that feel in the body?" While this might seem like a "How does that make you feel?" catchall question, it is relevant to holistically understanding emotions. The body houses blueprints for emotional experiences. You might be familiar with statements such as:
I carry tension in my neck and shoulders.
My stomach feels nauseous when I'm anxious.
My heart races when my boss sends me an email.
Headaches happen when I'm tired.
These statements indicate that your body responds to your environment, presenting personal data for what you need. Compounding stress occurs when we ignore signals for too long. Rest becomes a foreign concept, our minds stay busy, and the never-ending to-do lists seem like climbing Mount Everest. When we get in touch with pain, we allow ourselves to cease patterns that override important signals.
Stability is Work. "You're unstable," said my physical therapist, which I would have taken as a sheer insult if it was mental health therapy. However, this still stung since I thought I was doing all of the "right" things. Rather than giving me workout-type exercises, the prescription holding postures and breathing.* On the surface, it looks easy but slow, tedious, and SUPER challenging. In the process, I've learned more about what it truly means to be mindful in movement through re-patterning and unlearning. The mind works just as malleably as the body and requires practice and patience to formulate new ways of being.
Slow Is Stable. The body becomes stuck in positions that lead to injury just as the mind attaches to stories that hinder achieving dreams, needs, and a sense of belonging. It's difficult to unwind patterns without guidance. Physical injuries are metaphorical to hurtful thoughts or stories of ourselves leading to long-term emotional wounds. We compensate for the hurt we feel like our bodies do with physical pain. When we feel stuck in jobs, relationships, living situation, or emotions, it can feel like we're limited to what's in front of us. Re-patterning is a process, and it's not going to happen overnight. The lesson: slow down, gain awareness, learn new strategies to propel action towards desired results.
Questions to ponder:
What stories are you stuck in?
What emotions have been suppressed over time?
How do you feel in your body?
Now breathe.
*Check out Smart Athlete PT or Postural Restoration Institute if you want to nerd out on movement.
Somatically Speaking,
Brittani
