When the Body Talks and How to Interpret What it is Saying

The last few weeks I have been having a roller coaster of a time with my teenage kids. If you are a parent you know this stage of raising them comes with its unique challenges. They still need your guidance, but they don't want to hear it.

And because I am learning more about healthy boundaries, I have been insisting on clear communication and taking time to have conversations that bring deeper understanding.

We have been having quite a few of these conversations lately. Often we get tired of saying the same things over and over again, so we give up. But I am convinced that healthy boundaries involve consistency.

One night last week, the kids overstepped their boundaries and came home past their curfew. I was so angry and frustrated, but it was late and I was tired so I did not say what I needed to say. Instead, I went to bed stuffing my feelings down.

The next day, I woke up with laryngitis! And it hit me like a tonne of bricks. I knew I was getting a message from my body. I Iooked up laryngitis on a list of causes of symptoms from Louise Hay and wow - it was bang on! It said "So angry you cannot speak."

The body is always giving us messages and it is up to us to listen. The body and mind are like two sides of the same coin. The symptoms that show up in the body provide us a map and clues to what is going on at a deeper level. If we care to pay attention we are provided insight and opportunity for healing.

I will give you another example of my body showing me I wasn't paying attention to what I was feeling.  When we moved from Mexico, after living there for twelve years, it was terribly difficult to say good bye. Overwhelming in fact. So much so, that I stuffed my feelings and packed everything up and left, very much denying the depth of my sadness.

Upon arriving in Canada I had a searing pain in my throat. I thought for sure I had strep throat. I went to a walk in clinic and the doctor told me "nope you are fine, go home and drink tea".

When I got home I realized I had been holding onto to so much sadness I had created a giant knot in my throat. I finally took the time to acknowledged my feelings, had a big cry and immediately my throat felt better.

I know for some people this will be hard to wrap their heads around. But the reality is our minds and bodies are in constant communication.

Me losing my voice was a huge wake up call. Once I related it to what I was feeling, I started to be able to process my emotions. I would never wish anyone to be sick, or feel unwell, but often this is what we need to get us to pay attention.

Next time something shows up in your body consider if it relates to what is going on at the emotional level. This is the list I use to get insight into what is going on. Often, from there I may search other mind/body connections.

In Chinese medicine, each emotion is said to resonate with a specific organ. Liver relates to anger, lungs relate to sorrow, kidneys relate to fear. There is a lot of information online if you want to explore what your body is telling you about your emotional patterns.

It is worth listening to your body when it speaks.  I love this quote:

"If you listen to your body when it whispers, you won't have to hear it scream."

I understood when I lost my voice that there was a lot going on under the surface. I took the time to feel my emotions. I allowed myself the week to be quiet. So many truths bubbled up and I was able to get clear about what was going on at a very deep level. All of this has allowed my family to grow in incredible ways.

Thanks body! I am glad I listened.

If you want to develop a closer relationship with your body, Yoga is a perfect way to do this.

Try one of my online courses and or join my online community.

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