Life is about interpersonal connections. From Friendships to mentorships, from task-related work connections to acquaintances, we spend a lot of time building and maintaining bonds as humans.
Relationships are so important, that we make the time to spend with friends, in the present, for important moments in each other’s lives. We share gratitude with people that have loved us, supported us, cared for us throughout life.
A relationship we don’t often consider, nurture or honor is the relationship we have to our body. We often think about our body in terms of what we like or don’t like or if we feel betrayed by it. We pay attention to it only when we are hungry, have a broken bone or are sick.
Our body send us message through subtle sensations that we often miss or don’t even notice. These subtle sensations can be early alerts to the state of our mind, heart (emotions) or body, but only if we listen to them.
As a yoga teacher, I empower and remind students to “honor your body.” Honoring your body can mean many things. In yoga it means, don’t push yourself beyond how your body is showing up in this moment. At work, it may mean to take an hour or day off to regroup. In relationships it might mean, staying in when you feel too tired to drive or don’t have the energy to be “on” or the life of the party. At home it may mean let the dishes sit in the sink so that you can just be.
When you honor your body, you listen to it and honor it’s wisdom. We know how to take care of ourselves when we are sick. How do you take care of yourself when you are well? Our body most likely sent a signals to rest way before we felt a scratch in our throat. Do you bob your head at night trying to stay awake a bit longer to finish a tv show or send one more email?
Your body supports you in all the ways your push it, and in return it needs ample amounts of time to rest and restore itself. Along with staying in on a weekend or taking a nap throughout the day, you can incorporate mindful pauses, meditation, yoga nidra or restorative yoga to assist the body in resting, resetting and restoring itself.
For the coming week take note of how you feel each day. Listen to the signals or messages from your body and note if you follow your body or go against it. Be kind to yourself with what you find. If you wish to begin the journey and build a healthy relationship with your body, Heartspace is here to help.
Heartspace Circle 