Who do you listen to ? The mind or the body.
SO had an interesting encounter that warranted that exact question to arise. I had recently completed a rigorous work out that involved front squats while carrying a moderately heavy bar accompanied by sit-ups in an allotted time cap. Followed by practicing more squatting maneuvers. Did it successfully. Well so I thought.
Yet boy was I sore for the rest of the day. Early the next morning I woke to decide should I go back to the gym for more lifting and crossfit work outs or stay in bed and call it a rest day.
My mind said ” Yup we need to rest, we are going to be very tired and everything hurts so forget it”
My body said” Ok we ran a system diagnostic and everything is functional, sore but not painful enough that we cannot push ourselves today in the work out.”
I got up and went to the gym. Had a great work out and learned alot like I do everyday about the limits I can take myself through and push myself.
We are taught as youngsters to listen to our minds and not taught to pay attention and listen to our bodies. The latter is in fact the antennae of wisdom and not the fickle mind that sways like a pendulum. When our bodies get filled with dis-ease, it is due to an imbalance of our minds that eventually leads to breakdown of the body that is constantly trying to remind us of what is imbalanced in our mind. Yet do we listen to our bodies? No. most of the time. We listen to our mind and then make decisions that are not always to our best interest. Decisions by the mind are based on experience and fear, and so are self preserving and not motivated by interest of the self.
The body is a finely tuned machine that if used correctly and not abused with bad food, and lack of exercise, and toxic substances, it can guide us to great heights. When little children are asked to make decisions they usually will say ” hmmmm” and then reply. They are using their body as a tuning fork and checking in with a buzzing hum to make a decision. As we grow up we are trained to overwrite our body’s decisions and advice as we are bombarded by the perceived decisions of our parents or teachers and other adults and peers who believe they know better and force us to listen to external voices rather than internal voices.
Classic example :
Mom tells 3 year old, ” you need to eat your vegetables”
Daughter” hmmm”.. ” No” ,
Mom ” You have to eat your vegetables otherwise you wont get a treat”..
Daughter ” hmm No”
Mom ” see your brother he finishes his food faster than you.. eat your vegetables”
Daughter ” hmmm. NO”
Brother ” You are a bad kid if you don’t eat vegetables”
Daughter eats vegetables.
She overrides her body mechanism telling her that she does not want to eat the vegetables, perhaps it makes her feel uncomfortable, or the consistency is. It agreeable, or her belly hurts after eating it due to bloating or gas.. Who knows. But with demands, coercion, guilt trips, verbal name calling and enticing manipulation, she over rides her body’s wisdom to listen to the misguided perceptions of others. Please do not tell me about the arguments of food nutrition etc. I have heard them all. Eventually everyone gets their nutrition and even as adults we all end up eating our vegetables that we need to receive nutrition .
I am glad I did not to listen to my mind and asked my body for help. The body contains all the wisdom of the stars within the cells and the DNA. The key is to tap in and listen.
Check in with your body for all your decisions everyday. The more you trust it, the more it will answer and guide you. The more you ask it and let it respond the healthier you will become.
Discover the imbalances of your mind and heal your body to lead an empowered life.
………………..
I love you
