Listening
With All Our Strength
by
Scott Stoner
Once
you start approaching your body with curiosity rather than with fear,
everything shifts. —Bessel van der Kolk
Continuing
our week’s focus on listening to ourselves, we now turn to the Strength section
of the Living Compass, focusing on Care
for the Body and Stress Resilience.
Most of us are familiar with the idea of body language.
For example, if someone folds their arms and moves back, it could mean they are
not open to hearing what we are saying. Whereas, on the other hand, if they
lean and seem interested, it often means they want to listen. In this
reflection, we will focus on our own bodies and how to be open to hearing what
they might be saying to us.
Our bodies always tell the truth. If we get sick
repeatedly, for instance, our bodies may be trying to warn us about the amount
of stress in our lives, the current choices we are making around diet, sleep,
and exercise.
If we don’t regularly listen to our bodies when they are
quietly whispering to us, we may eventually find them impossible to ignore when
they “shout” at us to get our attention. Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., author of
the best-selling book, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the
Healing of Trauma, reminds us that our bodies internalize and hold on to stress
and unresolved hurt. If ignored, our stresses and hurts will gradually build up
until they demand to be heard.
Learning to listen to what our bodies are telling us with
curiosity, instead of fear or judgment, is the first step in healing and
resolving any stress or hurt we may be experiencing.
Making
It Personal: What do you think of the idea that our
bodies always tell the truth?
Are you aware of a time when you resisted a message your
body was trying to give to you?
Take a few moments right now and listen compassionately
to your body, being curious about what it might be quietly, or not so quietly,
telling you.
Living
Well Through Lent 2021
Copyright
©2021 Scott Stoner. All rights reserved.
Please take a moment to comment as I monitor my post during Lent
to see if I should continue my blog postings. Thank you!
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