It’s a shame our education system doesn’t teach us about a concept called body awareness. It does an abysmal job of teaching people how to relate to their physical domain and places too much emphasis on the intellectual/mental one.
Body awareness is a fundamental concept.
It’s the process of placing consciousness on areas of the body which are tight.
Tension and unconsciousness go together
The body naturally stores tension if you’re unconscious.
I’m sure you’ve come across people who are uptight, rigid, quick to anger, miserable, stern and generally resistant to many things in life.
These individuals are upTIGHT because they are physically rigid.
They hold onto dysfunctional movement patterns. They rarely think about the body or how to improve its ability to move fluidly. They are sedentary. I would put most people into this bucket because it’s the standard American lifestyle.
When you fail to apply awareness to how your body feels in the moment, it stores tension, especially from traumatic experiences, within.
This isn’t a fringe concept.
We understand how fascia works and have the anecdotal experience of countless people to know this is true.
I’ve heard many stories of people breaking out into fits of laughter or tears due to Wim Hof breathing and a variety of other modalities which bring this repressed emotion and tension to the surface.
As a corollary, relaxation and consciousness go together
On the other hand, conscious awareness promotes a relaxation response if you apply it to a body scan practice.
Think about a relatively conscious person. They’re relaxed, loose, flowing with the moment and are at ease. Instead of resisting, they come from a place of surrender and it’s obvious to anybody aware of this concept.
It’s not a complicated process either.
All you have to do is set aside 10 or 15 minutes, close your eyes, and then analyze your body from head to toe in search of tension. Neck, forearms, jaw, eyes - most people are tight in these areas because it’s a natural defense mechanism from external stimuli.
By cultivating the awareness on a specific area which has tension, you have the power to apply consciousness towards relaxing said area.
I’ve done this many times and can say there’s a night and day difference in how you feel and especially how you think.
How this can help those with chronic anxiety
I’m a firm believer that most people’s anxiety is a symptom of poor lifestyle and the chronic inflammation which it creates.
But a body scan practice can do wonders as well.
Tension built up from years of unconscious patterns can, without a doubt, spill over into the mind and create needless anxiety.
People are constantly on edge because they don’t feel good in their own body.
Your mind and body are one unit
There’s a subconscious misconception out there that the human mind and body are two separate systems. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Mind and body are ONE UNIT.
You cannot disconnect them and certainly can’t apply a reductionist philosophy to your understanding of human physiology/psychology.
It’s amazing what you can do by embodying this practice.
Pains you’ve dealt with for years can melt away if you routinely practice this.
I’m not saying this is some sort of miracle cure since there are people who deal with real injuries that require serious care and attention.
But for nagging pains and symptoms you can’t seem to resolve, it’s a viable and powerful option.
Think about how much shit you’ve been through over the course of your life, especially if you’ve dealt with physical and emotional trauma.
Imagine how strong of a connection you create by unconsciously repeating a given pattern based on something like that over a decade long timeframe. Not to mention the role your central nervous system and mind play.
Contemplate that for some time and embody this practice.
Let me know what your experience was like.
Much love,
Zaid
For those who are looking for a comprehensive take on this subject, check this video out. I’ve been listening to Leo Gura for years and stand by his work. Enjoy.