"Your emotions are stored in your body and eventually manifest as diseases." It sounded true as I listened to Dr. Newton Kondaveti in 2007. In the following years I facilitated many inner-journey sessions and watched people’s relief as they released pent up emotions.
Yet, my best experience was on the ennathoni (a carved wooden massage table, used in Ayurvedic treatments) sometime in the beginning of 2020. Afflicted with severe arthritis and other seemingly unrelated conditions I was at a place of immobility and found it extremely difficult to function normally. I decided that an Ayurvedic treatment complete with medicines, massages and medicinal purging that eliminates toxins out of the body.
The days progressed and the masseuse increased the pressure she was applying in my body to unravel the energy knots. One day it hurt to the point that I was beginning to feel a surge of emotions. I knew it was perfectly fine to let my emotions go. Yet, I didn’t want to expose my vulnerabilities and I held up for a while.
As she kneaded my trigger points deftly, the last of my mental cover-ups began to fall away. Flashes of poignant memories played before my eyes and tears began to roll down. A sensible part of me said, "Let it go, let it all go."
The emotions that I suppressed for many years came back, rolling down uncontrollably. I focused on breathing gently and deeply as best as I could. The masseuse continued to massage, although she was aware of my state of release. She quickly handed me a few hand tissues. It took a while for the emotions to subside and for me to feel at peace.
Coming back to a resting place, I knew I had made a turnaround in my cellular memory.
This blog is going to look at
The intelligence of the body
Our body is a processing mechanism that is responding to our environment. It also has a natural way of restoring itself, which is seen by the way wounds heal and diseases sometimes disappear even when untreated. This ability to heal by itself is there for all of us and for all conditions whatsoever, yet many are not aware of it.
Have you ever wondered how the unicellular organism that is formed as the union of a sperm and ovum developed into a multicellular fetus? It is then capable of finding its way out when it is ready! If we take a closer look at the many intricate systems that run within our body, we realize the infinite intelligence that was at work in the making of the human body. We give credit to the Maker. Our job now is to honour this wisdom-filled gift and maintain it in order to help us live our lives to the fullest.
Every cell of our body has its own intelligence, that knows what to do and when to do it. Every cell of our body is directly connected to the Source within us and receives the energy and consciousness at all times, if we are not interfering with our thoughts, especially those negative ones!
In fact, when we are sleeping or meditating our mind becomes inactive and our body can now reconnect with the Source energy. This is why we feel refreshed and renewed after a good night's sleep. A good nap, meditation and relaxation can also bring similar benefits.
When our body reconnects with Source energy, it receives the original energy that can restore its natural state of health and harmony.
Our surroundings affect our body
Our mind is the closest environment to our body and the body is listening to everything that we are thinking and saying. Our body is acutely aware of what we are focused on. Our body is extremely responsive to our surroundings too. We feel sensations in our body when external influences trigger our emotions. The stories of our life that were left unattended and unresolved, remain in our cells and often show up as emotions in response to outside stimulation.
Repetitive patterns continue until we give it our caring attention.
Heavy and burdensome emotions like grief and sadness settle in as pain and eventually manifest in our body as illnesses. It may be interesting to note that our response to disastrous world news and political developments also affect our body along with personal beliefs and opinions about everyday circumstances. Yet, if you can program the mind to see the best in everything, it will find its way into even the denied and forgotten areas at the right time.
When we suppress our emotions, it stays stuck within us and life force is drained. We resort to coping strategies that keep the cycles repeating. This stagnated energy manifests as bodily conditions, ailments and diseases. Sometimes we are expressive but linger in our negative emotional space like anger or sadness for a prolonged period of time. This has a detrimental impact on our body. Depression, anxiety, fear and frustrations do not serve our body or mind. These energies that settle into our body can alter our genetics and the altered DNA be transferred to the next generation.
An article on body consciousness is not complete without adequate research findings on mind-body connection. I’ll share them soon. I know that our logical minds need proof for something that is so important to us.
Ways to care for our body
Although we cannot have a perfect scenario in our surroundings to protect our body, we can take steps every day to restore our cellular harmony and maintain a healthy body.
Be gentle with yourself
Things can take unexpected turns in life and look as if something went ‘wrong’. It isn’t anybody’s fault, not yours too. Our conflict with good and bad, right and wrong create mental and emotional stress. Sometimes things do not work out the way we plan and expect. More importantly it is fine to make mistakes and feel whatever you are feeling. It is okay to cry, it is okay to feel anger. It is okay to love who you want to, and it is okay to be happy doing what you like. It is okay to have what you want; it is okay to be who you want to be.
If inner conflicts and emotions, feel stressful and burdensome then give yourself permission to take professional help. Your emotional wellness is at the core of your bodily wellness.
Freedom is our birthright, and we are free to be, do or have anything in life, including some downtimes. Beating ourselves for the bad and the wrong takes us away from the Source energy that's soothing and comforting us at that time. Listen to yourself and talk to yourself just the way you would talk to your favorite person or your little baby. Whisper to yourself everything that you want to hear.
Be more optimistic
Heredity and genetics play an important role in our body. Yet, we are the caretakers and masters of our body. Take life easy and live life happily. There really is nothing serious going on around. There are unseen energies that oversee everything, and they clearly outnumber us all. Trust that life is perfectly balanced and let the process of life bring everything to you.
Steering your thoughts towards positivity is a daily practice that will bring meaningful results. Glitches happen everywhere, sometimes in our lives too and we must remember that it is temporary. We have the power to choose what is good for us and leave out what is not working out for us. In every situation is the potential to rise up to a stronger, happier, calmer you as well as an angry, frustrated desperate you. What would you choose?
Be sensitive to emotions
Deep within each one of us is an ocean of happiness and love. We know it. Negative emotions are a deflection from this emotional centre. That is why we don't like our negative emotions. It is only reminding us that we just snapped our connection with the spirit within us. Negative emotions needn't be feared. It is just telling us that a negative belief is keeping us from feeling good.
Crying is not a weakness; in fact, it is a sign of our ability to feel. It is a sign of our ability to realize that we want to feel good. From this realization we learn to make choices towards what makes us feel good. The ability to feel our emotions is a good thing. Deep breathing helps to cool our emotional surge and return to our calm centre.
Consume Consciously
With global cuisines available at our fingertips today, we are exposed to a variety of food and drinks on a daily basis. While it is fun to explore new tastes and textures, remember to stay moderate. Your body knows what it wants and how much it wants. We must respect our body's signals in order to prevent imbalances.
The biggest imbalance starts in our minds, with guilt. Many people feel guilty about wasting food. Unwanted food stuffed into the body to compensate for starving people miles away is a personal detriment. You are only feeding your guilt, shame and helplessness.
Instead, you could be thankful for a full belly and say a prayer that you want everyone to have hot and tasty food. That you want the children of the world to go to sleep with a satisfied tummy. You can also intend to be mindful about the quantity henceforth or you can repurpose the leftovers.
If we don't respond to our body signals with respect, our body will start giving us signals through discomfort and diseases.
Sometimes we also feel guilty of eating well. Many people do not indulge in fresh meals and the food of their choice. Dissatisfaction in one area seeps into other areas of your life. You need to fulfill your heart's desires and deserve the best too! Who doesn't want to indulge in delicious and hot food. So go for it and fulfill your hunger in nourishing and enjoyable ways.
You can take the help of a health coach or nutritionist to figure out your best meal plans since our body requirements vary depending on our age, gender, lifestyle and emotional wellness. Remember to also drink a couple of litres of water to flush out toxins and keep your elimination in balance.
Move it and shake it
The intricately designed body has the ability to take us wherever we want to go. Every muscle of the body is meant to be moved and so are the joints. So move them and stretch them everyday. Dancing, walking, yoga, sports and games are enjoyable ways in which to keep our life force flowing through us.
Our body's metabolism is nothing but the ease with which life-force energy freely flows through our body. You can make workouts and exercises that stretch, move and shake your body, as a part of your daily routine. You will thank yourself when you see the inner vibrancy and vitality radiate through your cells.
Rest and relax
As much as it is important to move our body, it is equally important to have adequate rest and relax the muscles. A relaxed body is a prerequisite for healing. That is why Ayurveda suggests massage and Allopathy prescribes relaxants and tranquilizers. Activate your body's natural ability to restore good health and cellular harmony. Practice deep relaxation and meditation to relieve muscles off the tensions of the daily grind. Receive a full body massage once a month.
Concluding
It is our body, and we can take the time and effort to listen to its needs and care for it holistically. If we are not aware of our mind-body alignment, then we blame it on our work, the weather and even ourselves. If we take primary responsibility for our body and our mind, then health-care professionals and treatments can help us tremendously in our recovery. It is the unattended stuff of the past that emerges as illnesses. When we care for it from our heart, when we listen to our body, when we honour our body, then we form a lasting companionship with the temple of our soul, that takes us ahead comfortably to all the years to come.
About Anuja
In her coaching and mentoring sessions, Anuja applies two approaches that bring results. "We are spiritual beings on a human experience. We create our life with our thoughts. " She believes that we are guided by an unseen energy (or energies)
Her work across ethnicities, gender and age encourages people find their inner happiness, zest for life, creative thinking and tap their unlimited potential. Past Life Regression, Inner Child Work, Breathwork and Tapping are some of the techniques she practices.
She facilitates workshops on various life topics and gets invited to varied platforms. Apart from coaching, training and blogging, she is also passionate about cooking and travelling. She is currently writing her first book.
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