Hearing Yourself
My last blog, was on the art of listening. Some would argue that this is a lost art, but that’s subject matter for another blog, entirely.
Listining is important. It is especially important to listen to your own body. In most cases, your body will speak to you, pretty clearly. The trick is to know how to listen, or at least how not to listen.
Try turning the tv/radio/computer off, for a while. Constantly operating electronics, is a great way to miss some important info. that your body is trying to give you.
I tend to have to get out of the house, completely, in order to have a snow ball’s chance of hearing my own body and intuition. If I don’t, something electronic, or under the age of 4yrs. old, will suck me in.
When I really get a chance to listen to my own knowing, I begin to realize where I need improvements, in my life, and what the obstacles to those improvements are. I also begin to recognize some of the ingraining of certain beliefs, and to realize that they’re simply not valid or useful, anymore, in Today’s world.
Very often, a simple realization, of this nature, can cause a major shift in my lifestyle, or my attitudes.
When I finally started believing what my contemporaries were telling me, about one job, under someone else, not being enough, these days, to make ends meet, I started believing in myself more, and being much prouder of myself, as the professional, that I am. I also started needing less approval, from sources outside myself, which brought me a huge sense of freedom, to become the professional that I’ve always wanted to be.
I now have a sense that my fate is really in my own hands, and therefore there’s hope that I can make my life what I really want it to be. This makes me a happier person, and happier people have happiness to spare, and they tend to attract other people who are happy, and want to keep on being happy.
Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and the world turns away.
I may be misquoting, slightly. I can’t remember who said this, but I remember my parents quoting it to me, on a day, when I was simply having a bad day, as a child.
To some extent, it’s true, but lately I’ve found it to be less true, because I have more of a support group than I ever had, before I had my son. (Funny how a “crisis” can bring people together, if you can call labor and delivery a crisis).
Birth, is one of the best examples of a woman listening to her own body. Our bodies tell us when it’s time to push, and when it’s better to relax.
Some of us choose to quiet our body’s inner voice, a bit, (with sme good drugs) to get some rest, which is to say that our body has told us that it needs to rest, and we’re listening to THAT instruction, and following through.
It is not only our right to listen to our bodies, but it is a responsibility, as well. Our doctors aren’t mind readers. They don’t automatically know when something hurts, or when what they’re trying to do, for us, doesn’t seem to be solving the problem.
I was misdiagnosed, because my doctor had seen cases “similar to mine” many times before, and brushed me off, as just another lactose intolerant person. What we didn’t know ended up hurting me, and making me miserable, for a long time. I wish that I had taken further steps, when following her instructions didn’t seem to be helping.
As a massage therapist, I touch a lot of tight bodies, and I always wish, for the sake of my clientelle, that they would take note when they’re feeling tightness, and not let that part of their body continue to live in it’s contracted state. That contracted state, is not a state in which our muscles can easily protect our bones from the impact of a fall, or collision. It’s also not conducive to healing, after the fact.
Breathing expands muscles, and helps them to stretch. All you need to do, is breathe. Laughing is one really great way to make sure that you’re breathing, properly, and into every cavity of your body. I’ve touched on laughter, before. Please reread that blog.
When we laugh, it is impossible for us to hold tightness, in any particular spot, in the body. It is a moment, when we involuntarily let go, because our bodies don’t give us a choice.
So, if you’re looking for advice, or homework, here it is: Get out of the house, breathe and laugh. Go to the City, and see Teatro zinzanni, and have dinner with your significant other, or a good friend.
If that’s a bit over the top, for you, then come see me. Mention this blog, and I’ll give you a massage, and probably say a few funny and inspirational things, that will make you laugh.
Mention this blog, and I’ll give you a discount, on my already discounted massage. (Seasonal Deal).
Ciao, readers.
Sue.