This week's heart-wisdom quote by Albert Einstein highlights our society's disregard for the mind-body connection. Our intuitive mind, or gut instinct, communicates with us through our bodies, but we have not been taught, even as adults never mind as children, to pay attention to what our bodies know.
As humans evolved and adapted from the beginning of our time on this planet gut instinct has been an essential part of our survival. Not only can we sense danger through our bodies, but also through our senses as well. Likely our gut instinct was just another tool our predecessors used to stay safe and survive. It is not a tool that is rational however and that is likely why it has been discounted over time. As Einstein says we have forgotten the gift.
Our five senses are quantifiable and therefore slip into the rational realm. Intuition is more difficult to measure, but a crucial part of being human nonetheless. Just because our gut instincts are difficult to measure does not mean that they don't exist or aren't important. Judith Orloff discusses how important listening to our bodies is from the point of view of health and wellness. If you work in an environment that is toxic to your body, your health will suffer. Maybe not right away, but over time it likely will. For example, if your work environment makes you tense you may develop an acid stomach and headaches. With prolonged exposure these early signs from your body may turn into an ulcer and migraines. Listening to the early warning signs is part of keeping your body healthy.
Staying in situations or relationships that adversely affect your body is a way of ignoring what your gut instinct, or intuition, is trying to tell you. If you listen to your body, however, you realize that something in your work environment is toxic and find a solution that your body feels good about. For example, you could change departments, position or even find a new job. As long as your body feels good in that new environment you are keeping yourself healthier, not only physically but emotionally.
Christine Northrup discusses our mind-body connection at length in her book Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom. She has helped countless women learn how to interpret their physical problems and realize where those problems originated. As a culture we have been raised to put aside our personal feelings to fulfill the roles that we have taken on. Whether that role is worker or wife or husband, we are often encouraged to sacrifice our personal feelings to fulfill these roles. We keep that toxic job or stay in that toxic relationship against our bodies better judgment and pay the price with our health.
Listening to our gut instincts is as important to our survival now as it was in the beginning of time. Our lives can be healthier and more fulfilled by listening to our intuitions. Trusting our bodies to guide us through our lives is a healthy choice, physically and emotionally.
I wish you all a wonderful day and hope that you will take the time to pay attention to what your gut instinct already knows.
Thank you for experiencing The way is love today. Feel free to ask questions and make comments about today's blog or any other subject that interests you. I will respond to your comments as soon as I can.
Peace and love.
