Feel into Freedom

Where Do You Feel Stuck In The Body?

In this reflection, I want to introduce you to a concept called gut wisdom. There is an intelligence in your gut. Everyone has gut wisdom. We’re tapping into our natural intuition here. Intuition is trusting in what we already know to be true.

We have been taught not to trust this wisdom. We’ve been taught to outsource our intuition and doubt our own, but the truth is that you are your own best health expert. You are the authority on what your body needs. When we tap into this gut wisdom, we learn how to take care of ourselves. My intention is to help you listen to that gut wisdom. Have you ever heard people say, ‘Listen to your gut?’ That’s what we’re talking about with gut wisdom.

Would you like to connect to your body's wisdom? 

I call it Releasing Personal Power...

Let’s begin.

Step 1. Listen to your body. Breathe... 

We’ll connect to our gut using the breath. We’re going to get into an optimal healing state. When we are relaxed our genius emerges. Loving intelligence emerges. We make better decisions. We’ll access this optimal healing relaxation state using the breath. This is called Ujayi breath. So it’s going to sound like the ocean or like a Darth Vader breath.

Close your eyes. Take a comfortable seat, sitting tall, but not straining. Relax your face. Un-crinkling your forehead and your scalp. Place both hands on your belly and slowly take a deep breath in, letting the lungs fill up. Lift the chest and soften the shoulders back down if they came up. At the top of your breath pause, and now slowly, with control, exhale through the nose. And, again, go ahead and inhale, filling the whole body with fresh breath, keeping the face relaxed, allow the shoulders to melt down the back. At the top of your breath, pause, and now slowly, with control, exhale. Keep this breath cycling. Notice if the breath gets stuck. Where does it get stuck, what is that sensation? 

Trust whatever comes to mind… What wants to be healed? Keeping the eyes closed, put one hand on that place of your body that feels tight. Just notice that and with your exhaling breath, release.  

Healing only happens in a relaxed state. You can’t heal in a stressful state. It doesn’t even make sense. So breathe into the place that feels tight. Unblock the tension using your breath. Imagine the breath creating a cleansing spaciousness in that area. Open the body using your breath. 

Continue breathing for about 10 breaths just like that. It may take about 2 minutes. 

Step 2. Feel...

Focus your awareness on that spot now. What are the thoughts that come up when you focus your attention there? What is the story behind that pain or tension? How has it affected your quality of life? What role does it play in how you identify yourself?

If you were going to describe that tension with an emotion what would it be? Anger, frustration, rejection, disappointment? Keep breathing.

Research has shown that strong emotions cause changes in the biochemistry of the body. Simply said that your biography or your “story” creates your biology. What is the story you identify yourself with? Is it a wound or an empowering story?

Our story creates our biology. Fear or stress, when it’s chronically felt and experienced, slows metabolism, increases depression, and influences our overall well-being. Bring your awareness to your breath. If you can, try focusing on that spot right between the eyes. Your thoughts create your life. They set the ambiance for what you experience. What you put out comes back to you. When you think only negative things, you manifest that. So as you breathe, inhale fresh thought, fresh possibility. And as you exhale let go of self-judgment, the inner critic and thoughts that no longer serve you.

Step 3. Reflection. 

When you are ready, slowly open your eyes. Write down anything that came up for you. What, if any, negative thoughts hold you back from your life or from loving yourself and your body?

The list below is just an offering to consider when you feel tension in certain areas of your body. It might mean you feel stuck in those areas of your life?

Just consider.

Arm Pain: What am I holding onto or embracing that needs to be released?

Back Pain: Who or what is causing me to bear an undue burden?

Digestive Problems: What ideas, beliefs, or experiences am I having trouble digesting?

Eye Pain/Problems: What needs to be seen that I’ve ignored?

Fatigue: What in life is wearing me out and making me sleep or shut off?

Hearing/Ear Infections: What am I not hearing that must be heard?

Leg Pain/Cramps: In what ways am I not standing on my own two legs?

Lung Problems/Shortness of Breath: How am I struggling to breathe in life and experience?

Neck Pain: Who or what is being a pain in the neck?

Ovarian Problems: What am I longing to create that I haven’t, or what have I created in my life that I wish to move away from?

Being Overweight: What do I fear most, and how am I surrounding myself with layers to protect me from what I fear? Being Underweight: How is my boundary between myself and the world around me in need of development and strengthening?

Throat Problems: What am I not speaking the truth about?

To your freedom!

Yours, Nadya