trusting your gut.....or other body parts!

It takes patience to learn to listen to our wiser, true self.

To tune out the chatter in our heads.

But in my experience, once we've learned how to make that connection, we never lose it.

I get the strongest sense of my "self" in my gut - right in the solar plexus.  I noticed in a yoga session that I could sense the whole of my body and my connection to everything from this place.  Quite the awakening for this sensible scientist who can numb herself by living totally in her head!

And mindfulness helps me be even more aware of the messages my mind and body are sending and receiving. 

They're there. 

All I need to do is stop and listen.

My work with NLP and hypnosis together with meditation has made me so mindful of that voice of "self" from my deeper, subconscious self.  It started as a whisper, but comes through much more clearly nowadays.

And it's not so much a voice, really. 

More of a knowing. 

Very different from Ron, my husband.  His subconscious shows him words on a screen in his mind.  We all have our own way of tuning in.

I don't stress about a dedicated morning meditation practice.  Kinda misses the point if I do!  Sometimes I'm tired or I just can't be arsed ...  so just a few deep breaths and a quick tune into my body will do.  

I know it's good to do a 20 minute meditation at least twice a week (they say 12 minutes is the minimum for building your stress control muscle), but I also know even 5 minutes of focus has an effect.  Anything's better than nothing ... but sometimes I do nothing!  And that's OK too.

I find even a weekly meditation class is enough for most people to get incredible benefits - especially that moment of pause that starts to magically appear before you automatically react.  Then you can decide if you need to step in and take the wheel or relax and just enjoy being on autopilot.   To choose how you behave.  How you feel.  Self mastery in the making.  And all for just a few minutes a week ...

As long as you do something regularly, it seems there's always some benefit.

And due to my practice over the years, I'm very mindful of what my head, heart and gut are saying to me throughout the day.  And I'm tuned in to how relaxed I am in my body - especially my neck (where so much tension can lie for me).

And I've noticed that sometimes it's not in my gut, but a sudden, slight tension in my left calf muscle that tells me something wrong. 

I look for that feeling every time I weigh up decisions or want to know what I really feel about something.   I just think of the option or outcome and if my calf tenses up then it's a no!  Cool huh?

It's simple, but it takes practice to tune in.  To just stop for a moment.   To listen and to learn. 

And to earn that extra time before I react.   That choice.   Priceless.

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