More than a gut feeling
Some call it a gut feeling, some call it instinct, and some even call it spidey senses.
Science refers to the stomach as the body's second brain, with 100 million neurons lining the digestive tract, giving it incredible processing ability and helping us understand situations without conscious reasoning. In simple terms, our gut communicates with us all the time.
However, it's not just our gut that speaks to us; our entire body does. And it doesn't only communicate with us in times of danger, but also in our daily lives as we encounter different experiences. Our bodies tell us when it's time for food, rest, or movement. They also assist us in deciding whether to say "yes" or "no" and how to approach a situation.
The way we experience physiological signals is unique to each individual. A stressful week at work might result in worsened acne for one person, while another might struggle with sleeping. Excitement might cause flushed cheeks in some, while others feel their hearts racing. A difficult conversation could lead one person to sweat excessively, while another might experience a churning stomach.
Our bodies constantly send us signals, whether we are aware of them or not. Sometimes, we knowingly or unknowingly ignore these signals instead of addressing their root causes. One common example of overriding our body's signals is when we choose to drink coffee after staying up late. Perhaps we stayed up late because we wanted to make a good impression at work by doing overtime. Instead of prioritizing work-life balance, we rely on caffeine to help us power through a demanding schedule, battling lethargy with coffee rather than rest.
Taking the time to recognize our physiological signals allows us to reflect on our responses. From getting enough sleep to saying "no" instead of "yes" (or vice versa), there is much to learn from listening to our own bodies. So, the next time we are asked to do overtime or before we make any decision or face a situation, we can pause and observe how our body feels when we think about our response. This way, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves, our boundaries, what feels right, what feels good, and what doesn't. At Equinimity and as Somatic Practitioners, we keep this belief in the connection of the mind, body, heart, and spirit at the core of our work. Most, if not all, of our offerings integrate an experiential and felt-sense approach (body-knowing as well as cognitive-knowing) to support people in their healing and wellness journeys.
Once we develop the habit of tuning in to our body's messages, these messages can serve as caution bells, reminders, or guidance to help us choose a path that benefits our well-being. That's one of the reasons why being in the present moment, practicing mindfulness, and embodiment (the practice of drawing awareness to our physical responses to our environment, thoughts, and emotion) are good for us. Not only do these practices feel good as part of our self-care, but they also help us maintain our health and safety.
Learning to trust the wisdom of our bodies is a process that requires patience and self-compassion. In a world that often prioritizes intellect over the body, it can be easy to dismiss or disregard these signals as irrelevant or irrational. However, by acknowledging and honoring the wisdom of our bodies, we open ourselves up to a deeper level of self-awareness and self-care.
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Equinimity offers a program called “Somatic Awareness Practice: Cultivating Inner Resources.” It is an online group that aims to help increase somatic awareness to support us in better understanding how we experience ourselves, and knowing what is possible in times of distress as well as in times of ease.
This group features somatic practices that can be integrated into our daily lives. Each class offers experiential, often body-based practices and information about nervous system regulation that can help with accessing our own wellbeing, self-regulation, and coherence.
Join us! Click here for more information.
