Body Wisdom and Mindfulness
Body Wisdom and Mindfulness
Audio of Newsletter: http://tiny.cc/n807101
When we were very young, we learned through sensory experiences to eventually wire in patterns that would activate, enabling forward progress unless these initial experiences were rife with trauma. As adults, as well as the young, currently living in an extremely chaotic time and racing against time to achieve an outcome, we distance ourselves from being present and living in the moment. We moved to a self-driven, narrow focus to achieve a goal. Once you lose your attention and awareness of being in the present, what motivates and drives you? What actually changes as to how internally you sense yourself? All of this behavior generates thought, unless you tune out. What does this thought process generate regarding how to come back into your body? It takes time and commitment to relearn later in life, and the most important thing is to continue learning and growing wiser, smarter, and kinder.
So many have dissociated from their bodies and live only in their minds. This is not only a way of shutting down to avoid the stresses of modern life, but also a habitual pattern you engage in without thinking about the cost to you, your health, those you care about, and all of our well-being. This way of thinking is cerebral, failing to recognize other ways of being and of generating improvements. Goal-oriented, while it has merit, when it is devoid of thinking about others, as we are social beings, it’s not just unpleasant; it’s too often an obstacle, draining your energy. How to begin and develop another pattern, to think and understand other, more crucial ways for our minds to develop with optimal information, it starts in our bodies. How to shift from goal-oriented, thinking about what you want or need, which is generated by the self-image, to process, where the reward is not the goal but the process, enjoying the journey. Change your thoughts, change your outcome.
“A self that goes on changing is a self that goes on living.” – Virginia Woolf
Have you heard about the 10-minute commitment you make to yourself? We are all so overwhelmed and overloaded with commitments and responsibilities, and never have enough time in a day to attend to everything that needs attending to. What if you committed 10 minutes every day to focus on what you have said you don’t have time for? Only 10 minutes of dedicated focus and attention. Make it your intention, rather than procrastinating because you don’t think you have the time or energy. I share with my students and clients how to play and explore in small amounts each day to improve outcomes. We too often think of ourselves and why we can’t, but when we recognize how others less fortunate have achieved huge improvements by committing to this 10-minute way of returning within, sensing and feeling, and quieting the noise that interferes with forward progress. If you notice that 10 minutes became more, it was probably a by-product of being in the moment with yourself, learning, being centered, and enjoying the process, as time was no longer the focus but the evolving process. Notice the sensations and benefit of being in this process instead of pushing against resistance to have a goal-oriented outcome that you likely check off your to-do list. Continue to wire in the things that interest you, then commit to 10 minutes daily and watch what happens.
“…Hours of repetitive practice are hard work; hours of practicing awareness in movement or action remain the most absorbing and interesting time in our lives. The feeling of being alive relates to the awareness of growing to be oneself.” – Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais
I hope I’ve earned the privilege of your time and attention this week, and I offer you the gift of a 10-minute commitment each day.
Warmest,
Peggi
