Body Awareness and Flexibility
Julia Morelli, July 2024
Written well over a century ago, in Dubliners, James Joyce gave us a gift by saying, “Mr. Duffy lived a short distance from his body.” It is a not-so-subtle reminder to live a meaningful life with awareness and connections. It inspires me to focus on the importance of somatic or body awareness and various forms of flexibility. Not long after Joyce penned that line, Walter Cannon studied the fight-or-flight responses to stress during World War I. Since then, freeze became recognized as one of the responses. I believe flex is a helpful addition to the conversation.
Being aware of how you are feeling physically and emotionally gives you more space to make choices about your responses. The more I tune in and deepen my somatic awareness the stronger the connection I feel with myself, others, and that which is bigger than me. This is especially true when I am feeling sad, angry, frustrated, or disappointed. Finding the pause button and remembering to exhale helps get me on a better path. Admittedly, even after over two decades of practicing the internal arts of qigong, yoga, and meditation, I often must remind myself there is opportunity in each new moment.
Tuning in to any feelings of tightness or discomfort in your body can help you engage the relaxation response. This ability to recover from stress and change one’s physical and emotional response can be elicited. Although Dr. Herbert Benson is credited with its popularity in the 1960s, this approach to finding a calming state has been practiced through meditation, chants, and movement for thousands of years.
He who knows others is wise.
He who knows himself is enlightened.
Lao Tzu
The key to finding out what works for you is keeping an open mind as you explore a range of practices and notice how each affects you. By understanding yourself and your needs, you are enhancing your ability to respond in ways that support your well-being. Although it is easier to talk about the mind and body as separate, remember that they affect and influence one another. Mindfulness or awareness of what is happening in the moment, combined with the synergy between the mind and body, can help create pathways for emotional and physical flexibility.
What will be effective will probably depend on your mood, the circumstances and how you are feeling physically. Starting my day with a three-minute yoga sun salutation, or a short qigong practice before or after dealing with a challenging situation works for me. Sometimes dancing in the dark like no one is watching is what I need, other times it may be slowly stretching areas that are tight like my neck or jaw.
Enjoy exploring practices and finding out what nurtures your physical and emotional flexibility and resilience.