Are You Listening?
People do a lot of talking. It’s been said, listening is an art. When we talk, most of us are confident we know what we are talking about, and most likely know how you should respond. Listening is a funny thing in a way because it requires us to pause during a conversation. Pauses in life, can cause anxiety, making us uncomfortable. What if I say something wrong? Why are they saying that? Maybe if I keep talking then I don’t have to listen.
The way we listen, barely listen, or don’t listen at all, is habitual. If you, have ever had a “conversation” with someone who doesn’t stop talking, how could they hear you? How could they possibly know you? You might just stop talking to them altogether.
Then there are those of us who listen and respond with “Yes, but”. When I respond like that, I am pretty sure I am not really listening. I am on the edge of my seat as the other person is talking, and already know my response. Is that really listening? Will I learn anything? How can I learn anything if I already think I know the answer?
The Connection Between The Body and Brain
You may be wondering, what does this have to do with chronic pain, relieving stress and anxiety? We are in a conversation with our body all day. Albeit it under the surface there is a back and forth between body and brain and its quick, like electricity. We don’t even consciously think about it too much, until something hurts and becomes chronic. Until that knee problem just doesn’t seem to improve. The anxiety that surrounded a stress event seems now to be running your life, and getting worse. The stress event is over, but the stress responses are still with us… why is that?
Our body adapts over time to the simple ways we respond to stress and pain. No one talks about listening to the body unless its kind of throw away line “Listen to your body”. Then we all assume we do. But listening to our body goes much deeper. Little ways we move, breathe, adapt to injuries or alignment issues are going on every moment of every day. We are busy doing other things.
Who has time to listen? Who pauses to notice what the body is saying? We hand ourselves over to others and let them figure it out. Why does my back hurt? Why do I feel anxious? We hope we will just tell our body what to do and be done with it. Why doesn’t it just listen? It is listening. It is doing exactly what you have trained it to do. It is listening to you the way you listen to your body. Remember, it’s a conversation. Do you do all the talking, the “yes, but” or do you pause and hear what the other person is saying. In this case that is what your body needs so it can give you the information you need to relieve pain, reduce stress, and yes even improve the look and shape of your body.
How Does It Work? Our Body Can Heal
The body knows how to ‘un’ do much of what makes us hurt and stressed. Our body is a great healer. We are not great listeners. Our body cannot “fix” us unless we feel it. It’s a simple little part of the equation that bodies need in order to make adjustments. To feel the body requires the pause, like in our conversations with others. And the necessary pause when working with the body, is the single most challenging part that I have noticed in working with people over several decades. We don’t like to stop, not even for a second. It can cause a moment of anxiety and even mistrust. But if you give in for a moment, you might find there is a something miraculous that your body is just waiting to do for you.
Elaine
Part 2 of this Blog continues next week with more on how to use the Miracle Ball Method to listen to your body effortlessly, while you relieve the chronic aches, and stress associated with everyday living.
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