Sunday, May 12, 2013

How to Start Listening to Your Body

As I scanned through my facebook page this morning, I saw a post about this Deepak Chopra article on Oprah's website. It caught my eye especially since my husband and I had a chat this morning regarding stress, overcommitment, and health. I realize that I demand a lot from my body on a regular basis. Whether it is running 7.14 kilometres then doing a show yesterday OR starting my day at 5am to teach all day and then go to my course until 8:30 at night, I am as busy as ever. Being diagnosed with cancer, I immediately slowed down my schedule, my body, and my life. On the flipside, just two and a half years after my diagnosis, I have become clearer about my career objectives, my dreams and goals, as well as aware of the brevity of life. I admit that I am once again pursuing my life at full-speed. Sometimes, it takes an article like this that causes me to pause and listen... listen to my body. In order to do that, one must truly pause. It is not an instant quick fix yet it requires one to truly listen carefully. It requires one to STOP. To get to body awareness, Chopra says that there are "three practical things you can do today". He goes on to write: "To get on the path to increased awareness, say the following to yourself and then carry your words into action: 1. I will make choices to maximize the energy in my body. My body is my connection to the infinite supply of energy in the universe. If am feeling lack of energy in any way, it means that I am resisting the flow of this infinite supply. I will ask my body what it needs and will sincerely follow its advice. The ideal state is to experience such lightness that I do not feel bounded by my body. It and the world are one. 2. Before I act on any emotion, I will consult my heart. My heart is a reliable guide when I trust it. It monitors the emotions of others around me. This helps me experience empathy, compassion and love. The heart is the seat of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence allows me to get in touch with my deepest self. It nurtures all relationships by reminding me to see myself in the other. 3. Lightness of being in my body will be my indicator of happiness. If I feel heavy or dull in my body, I will pay attention because these feelings are signs that I am inertia and the dreariness of habit over the potential that every moment has for freshness and new life (NOTE: does this mean sense? he is the dreariness of habit?). The best way to replenish my body is to give it what it needs most, whether it's sleep, rest, life-giving nourishment, the joy of movement or communion with nature." Read more: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/How-to-Start-Listening-to-Your-Body/3#ixzz2T6ELwgw2

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