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Body Cues

The human body fascinates me. I am a believer in the idea that our muscles hold an emotional memory of what happens to us, and that part of healing is working through that muscle memory. Make a point of noticing your body's stance during an emotional moment sometime. Chances are, you'll feel tension in certain areas, whether it's a furrowed brow or clenching your rear.

I went to my massage therapist today. While she worked my SCM muscle (along the side of the neck going down to the collarbone), I had two very distinct reactions. On the left side, I just cracked up laughing. This was completely an emotional reaction; it wasn't ticklish at all. On the right side, though, I felt nauseous. I really thought I would throw up right there. We talked for a moment about the reactions. She said that nausea (without a medical cause) is a bodily reaction to fear.

I'm thinking about this. We all have physical reactions to what happens to us, and we all have bodily cues that tell us something is not right. It's an amazing built-in security system. Perhaps I'm ready for something life-changing to finally sink in for me. It's time I start paying attention to what my body is saying. At the most basic level, it means eating when I'm hungry and stepping away from an emotionally charged argument. It also means taking notice to my anxiety and embracing it and releasing it. This could even lead me to showing more love to those around me.

I'm listening! Right now, this set of bones and muscles says it's time to go to bed.

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