We have all heard of the proverbial “Change your thoughts, change your life”. Our minds are very powerful and creative engines and by orienting them a certain way we find that our lives unfold differently. But is that really true? Are there data points out there that contradict this axiom? For example, do you know people that think doom and gloom all day and that the world is full of hostility, yet have vibrant, successful, healthy lives? Alternatively, do you have someone in your life that thinks that this universe is friendly and that the future if full of possibility, yet have a terribly unhealthy and seemingly pointless life? Though the reality is a lot more nuanced than this, I generally haven’t found such people. There are some exceptions to every rule, of course, but we can all get behind how anyone thinks will greatly direct and organize their unfolding future.
But what about the body? Could “change your body, change your life” be equally true? Is it effective? Do we have proof of that? which one is easier or more accessible: mind or body? Certainly, anyone who has attempted to change their mind has inevitably found it hard and difficult. Our thinking can be so entrenched and intractable that using the mind as a point of entry for change, though very effective, is pretty challenging to say the least. Could the body be a more accessible avenue for transformation?
To be clear, we all know very outwardly successful people with widely unhealthy and unwell bodies, and vice versa. But that doesn’t disprove anything in my opinion. Likely, this only points to how disconnected our minds and bodies are in this 21st century. As a species, we may be technologically and intellectually advanced. However, we are clearly and surely disconnected from ourselves and our bodies for many reasons, chief amongst them is the exceedingly high focus on left brain living.
To know whether the body can truly influence our lives, one can experiment easily on one’s self. For example, try on the “doom and gloom” posture for a moment: rounded shoulders, collapsed chest, mouth pouting, droopy body posture, gaze down. Then begin to sense into your inner atmosphere. How is it to live in this posture? How is it to walk in this body? How do you drink your coffee, respond to emails, Interact with people? What kind of impulses coarse through you? What thoughts are prevailing? What are you wanting to organically do? If you are like most people, you will find this posture very challenging to uphold (unless this is where you hang out). Your inner atmosphere may have shifted towards helplessness and depression. Your movement may have become slow, sloppy, and very uncertain. You may have found that your thoughts and impulses are all about crawling into bed, thinking depressive thoughts, and not wanting to interact with anyone or do anything. And generally the opposite will be true: an erect posture that is sure footed with a confident gaze and an open chest will lead to thoughts, feelings, and impulses that will open you to the world, move you to outward action, entice you to interact and take risks, enjoy yourself and this life, etc.
Depending on how you want to live your life, then, is your body oriented to lead you in that direction? From the moment you wake up and go through your day, what are your shoulders doing? Is your chest caved in or open? Is your head titled up? Are you gazing down or in front of you? Do you feel your spine erect or droopy? Do your feet press on the floor to feel sure footed? Or are you barely using the earth’s support? And whatever you find is where you are. But is it where you want to be? If not, notice how slight changes in bodily angles impact your inner atmosphere, your impulses, your thoughts. Let this exploration be fun and insightful. Your body is a highly sophisticated carbon based apparatus that we are only beginning to know.
I absolutely love my mind. And I love my body…well, not all the time but mostly 🙂 What I can say for sure is that the more I get to know my body (especially from the inside), the more I befriend it, the more I accept it, explore it, and play with it, the more it seems to work with me, for me, by me. So this is an invitation for a fun exploration. Keep exploring dear reader…