I feel like I’ve been handling things here in 2020 pretty well. Except last week, I had some strange journeys to my guides that were not totally clear. Then I had two days of headaches that knocked me out. They went away, so I thought it was something I was eating that could be off (food sensitivities are real). Then there was the fatigue. And finally, my left ankle started hurting. Do you sometimes too have important messages that you might be missing?
I was missing the messages my body was giving me because I was too busy and felt there was no space to listen! Sometimes it takes a louder and then even louder signal before I’ll listen. It’s not always easy- we are taught to push and keep going! Obviously my body was trying to tell me that something needs to change and fast.
I began looking at the 5 wellness bodies.
I looked at what I ate last week and made a few minor tweaks. I’ve been doing my own emotional work, and realized there was some things that needed to be processed. My mind was getting involved when it didn’t need to. I had a few clients last week so I also did an energy clearing for myself, and asked my guides for support.
I asked my body and I journeyed to my guides, and in both, I was shown that I needed to rest. Now, if you know me you know I’m a little bit stubborn: I really like to do things, and fast.
So I thought, ok, rest. I won’t work. I’ll take a break from my classes at the University for a day. But then I started working on my garden, getting things done around the house, and while it was more restful than work: it was emotionally restful, but it was still not physical rest. My ankle started hurting more. The message was coming through even louder. REST.
I also asked a friend of mine to do a shamanic card reading for me, and the cards were echoing that same message. I was depleted. I needed to rest, replenish, chart my own path, that I don’t have to do things in the ways in the same way of others, using the old structures.
So I’m listening.
I’m sitting still more often. I’m asking for help. If there is something that needs to be done right now, I’m still working on it, but I’m scaling way back. Saying no to things that my body says no to. I’m doing these things from a place of peace, and definitely much slower. I love to run in the woods, and that is a hard no for my body, so I did a ceremony by the creek yesterday and meditated there. I’m asking my body what it can do in this moment.
For example, I’m writing the exam that is due for my class. My mind was saying I had to finish it yesterday and when I checked in with my body, I knew I didn’t have the energy at that moment. So i set it down. I asked again today, and I’m still getting a no. There is time. It will happen when I’m ready. If I try to push through when the timing is off, it takes me two or three times as long to finish anything. I’ve learned that timing is everything.
All of these are messages.
\Messages are all around us and the body is constantly giving messages. Pain can be a clear message. I’ve had clients with ear aches, eye twitches, and low back pain. Sometimes our nervous system is on fire with emotion, inflammation, energy. Our society hasn’t taught us that we have these messages and that our body is a compass for the direction we need to go. To get unstuck, you need to know about these important messages you might be missing.
When we learn to listen, there are these subtle (or not so subtle) signs that can guides us back to our path. This seems hard for many of us because we are taught to hang out in our heads, and not listen to our bodies. Or if we are listening, we aren’t always taught how these can be signs of physical, emotional, mental, energetic or spiritual disorientation. Most of us just haven’t been taught the skill!
Here’s how you can listen to the messages that your body is providing you.
First find a comfortable position. Notice your breath and just feel into the gentle movement of the breath. Notice how the breath feels in the body. The air coming and going. See if you can feel the breath at the edge of the nostrils. Then whatever area of your body is feeling a sensation: if there is a pain, or even if your chest feels heavy or your shoulders feel tight. Bring your attention to that part of your body. Notice what sensations are there. See if there is a color or a shape to that sensation. Just notice what is there. You don’t have to change or it make it go away, just notice what’s there. Imagine that you can sit next to that shape or color, at that location in your body. As you sit with it, you can ask, what message do you have for me? You may be shown an image, or hear a word, or you just may have a knowing.
For my ankle, I see this sharp, bright yellow, fireball, and I get the message to slow it down, to clear out what isn’t needed. It’s time to let go.
You can ask if there is anything else you need to know. See if anything drops in. It’s ok if it doesn’t. There is no right or wrong. Then thank that part of your body or the sensation or whatever else showed up to help you. Even if you didn’t get a message, thank it for communicating with you. For being there. And then come back to your breath and the body.
This is listening to the body and can be used when you have an ache or pain. Or when you simply feel a sinking in the belly after your neighbor just gave you a look of disapproval over unmowed lawn.
You may receive other messages as well.
Often I’ll ask for a sign from my guides to be made clear, or if I need to stop, and I’ll get an email or read a page in the book that feels like the perfect answer to my question. You can also do this out in public. You can ask for a message or an answer to a question and set an intention that you will be given a sign before you return home from the grocery store. So many times, I’ve heard snippets of conversations or seen the front headline on the paper at the store that perfectly provides the information I needed.
You can also do this with books: it’s called bibliomancy. Stand in front of a bookshelf (at home or at the library or bookstore). Ask the question, close your eyes and intend to be guided to the answer you need at this time. With your eyes closed, feel into which page wants to be opened and where you need to start reading. This has been surprisingly helpful for me when I’m feeling very stuck!
Messages are all around, and they are waiting for us to listen.
