Your body doesn't lie

(Part 1 of the Language of your body series)

In our Western culture, we have been taught to understand what is happening primarily through our minds.

We analyse what we feel.
We try to explain why something is happening.
And when something feels uncomfortable, we immediately start looking for a solution.

There is nothing wrong with that.

Our ability to think has taken us a long way.
Especially if you're someone who is used to taking responsibility, juggling many different roles, and keeping life running smoothly. (Sound familiar?)

But sometimes there is another layer worth paying attention to.

You can also look at how someone lives, how they relate to their emotions, or how they deal with stress and tension. Perhaps from a more emotional, psychological, or even spiritual perspective instead of cognitive (a smart word for mental).

Chronic stress, trauma, and unresolved experiences can leave their mark on the nervous system and influence what happens in the body. A lot of books have been written about this subject lately.

The perspective may differ.
The language they use differs as well.

But over the years, both in my work and in my own life, I have noticed that many of these perspectives point to the same underlying truth:

Your body and the way you move through life cannot be separated.

In fact, our language has reflected this connection for centuries.

We speak of a broken heart.
A lump in the throat.
Butterflies in the stomach.
Something that doesn't sit well with us.
Weak knees.
Carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders.

These expressions exist because, intuitively, people have always understood that emotions are not experienced only in the mind.

Stress does not happen only in your head.
Your body remembers things.

There is a connection between your thoughts and emotions on one side, and the way your body responds and functions on the other.

It is a kind of chain reaction, because ‘something’ wants to keep you safe in your body and allow you to function as optimally as possible.

Fortunately, most bodies do not start by screaming.
Usually, the signals are subtle.

A little tension in your neck.
An unsettled stomach.
Sleeping less well than usual.
Waking up tired.
Feeling more irritable.
A mind that won't switch off.

The kind of things that are easy to dismiss.

Because you're busy.
Because you have a lot on your plate.
Because you assume it will pass.

And most of the time, we simply keep going.

Especially if you're used to taking care of others.
Organising and managing.
Anticipating what could happen.
Being strong.

Until eventually your body can no longer maintain the balance on its own and begins asking for your attention a little more clearly. And starts to become sick somewhere in the body.

Personally, I don't believe in simplistic explanations where every symptom has a fixed emotional or spiritual meaning.

People are not robots.
Nor are we formulas waiting to be decoded.

But I do believe it can be interesting to ask a different question from time to time.

Instead of immediately asking: How do I get rid of this?

Try to look first at: What might my body be responding to right now? What is the functionality of this part that feels off? What does it do? Can I relate to that function of that part?

That question alone can be the beginning of something.

Not as a diagnosis. We are not doctors.

And certainly not as a judgement.
Simply as an act of curiosity.

Perhaps listening to your body begins there. With curiosity.

Over the years I have read many books and attended numerous workshops and trainings on this subject. In this series I draw inspiration from writers and teachers such as Christiane Beerlandt, Annette Noontil, Lise Bourbeau, Gregg Neville, Bessel van der Kolk, Erik Peper, Gabor Maté, and of course Louise Hay.

Related articles 

• Does Every Symptom Mean Something? (Will be published July 14)
• Symptoms Rarely Appear Out of Nowhere (Will be published August 18)
• Your Body Often Responds Before Your Mind Does (Will be published September 1)
• Why Your Mind Won't Switch Off (Will be published September 15)
• What Your Body Really Needs (Will be published September 29)