A simple way to start receiving the inner wisdom and knowing what will support you in 'the now' ( I talk all about getting into 'the now' next month) is by developing and deepening your relationship to your body.
Becoming intimate with the signals that show up physically is one of our greatest untapped resources we women have.
It can be as low-key as a single daily ritual or practice. Anything that might allow you to check-in and assess your multi-dimensional self (mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual) will enable you to be in conversation with what is happening within.
I like to do mindful movement, daily journaling, breathwork, Yoga Nidra, and menstrual awareness practices.
Perhaps you have your own?
If you can gather reflections over time, and observe the (human) fluctuations of your experience - you will grow real-time sensitive, and responsive, to your needs as they change and arise.
The greater the collection of your 'data' or intel on your unique, day-to-day bodily or somatic experiences, the more accurate you can become at identifying and supporting the peaks and troughs.
In time you will find remedies and ultimately self-prescribe your own medicine for the spectrum of your needs. (I speak to what exactly I mean by 'medicine' in the coming weeks!)
This type of self-awareness and body wisdom are the very foundations for living a life that is true and right for us.
Therefore, to become intimate and sovereign in our life, we must practice becoming an expert in the language of our own body.
In my experience and that of my clients, the reason women don't act in empowered, self-supporting ways, is lack of practice and confidence.
This is unsurprising when we recognise how the medical profession, education system, social constructs, and cultural norms all seem to encourage us to seek knowledge from some, more-wise, 'other': a professional with lots of bits of paper to prove their certified competency.
I should know, I spent the better part of my 20s in tertiary education getting several different qualifications… Yet, I never felt I was knowledgeable enough. That's not to say education isn’t important or valuable, but I seemed to seek it as a means of affirming my skill and knowledge as woman.
That view of things has sure changed in my world.
I defer less and less to others for feedback on my day-to-day experience. I leave the 'big picture' knowledge to folk like Doctors and Lawyers and those for whom professional qualifications are necessary. But I continue to love self-exploration and the gold nuggets of understanding that often surface - and so I elevate the intelligence of my intimate and personal understanding as expressed from the wisdom of my body, and my heart.
This goes for nutrition, wellbeing, and all manner of life choices like commitments, relationships, short and long term plans, decisions big and small.
My body has become the ultimate authority of what will ultimately feel true and right for me.
The more I give precedence to the sensations and signals arising, the more I become clear and connected to my innate wisdom.
And it has yet to steer me wrong. Honestly.
Skeptical? Experiment for a week, with low-stakes decision making, say with meal choices, your daily hot drink, the transport method, or route you take, the fitness class you go to. Try throwing all habits out the window and allow the body to choose. Sense your body's preferences, and how it indicates to you the feeling of 'yes' and 'no' physically, somatically experienced.
I've been spending a whole month doing just that, and it's been illuminating and so very enjoyable.
I'd love to hear if you're cultivating an intimacy with your body and its non-verbal signs and sensations? Or do you have questions about this process?
Let me know! Email or message via my social channels.
