Learn to listen within: Body appreciation practice

Many years ago, I took an anatomy and physiology course in college. I went in hoping to learn more about the muscular-skeletal system and came out fascinated by this infinitely complex structure that we call the human body. Every cell in the body works tirelessly to keep the body alive, well, and balanced. The deeper we dive into the studies of anatomy, physiology, and neuroscience, the more it becomes clear that the physical body, our inner processes, and the mind are so intricately linked and impact one another so much, that there is no real separation. What we perceive as disorders of the body might be a manifestation of a haunted mind, what shows up as fluctuating emotions is often a reflection of our physiological state, and so on.

Our bodies constantly send us signals about the state of their internal balance. They try to communicate with us, but we rarely listen. We are so focused on the external environment that we tend to ignore our inner state until it complains loud enough through pain, physiological distress, or mental anguish. Instead of letting things fester and get out of hand, let’s learn to listen to our body’s signals. In this full-length yoga practice, we will focus on developing our interoception (conscious awareness of what’s going on inside) and balancing our physiology while expressing appreciation to our bodies for all the work they do for us every day. Give it a try and see how it feels!

We don’t set an agenda for every cell in the body, but the very complexity of it all and the fact that we do not have much control over it can make us feel powerless when something goes wrong.

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