Center Your Body for Improved Health
Posted on May 1st, 2007 by garyPosted in Health
The stresses of modern life can increase the gap of awareness between our minds and our bodies. The pace of our living and are declining health both mental and physical are signs. Many of us are out of shape and overweight. We are also dealing with increased stress, heart disease and high blood pressure, along with depression and anxiety. We feel overstretched, committed to too many things. We are living in limited spaces both in our lives and in our bodies.
At work we are under fluorescent lights all day. We often sit in cubicles with computer screens without windows. We ride small elevators and breathe uncirculated air. Even before we get to work, we commute in a small vehicle as we fight to get to work on time. Most of our day, our time is spent in deprived spaces.
Even in our homes, we are creatures of habit and our habits lead us to live in less and less of our available space. We often sit in the same chair at the kitchen table. If you tried to switch everything would seem strange to you. Most of us have rooms in our homes that we hardly use. Do you usually watch television from the same spot on the couch? Our remote saves us a trip across the room to switch channels.
In our bodies, we also are living in fewer spaces. Our habits are limiting our body experiences. The cause of the declining health trend is not just diet and lack of exercise. The underlying problem is the mind-body problem. We are losing a vibrant sense of presence within our bodies.
We need a different motivation- a different type of realization. We need to realize our mind and bodies work better when they work together. Our bodies are so important to our overall productivity. They are an important part of our thinking process. Our bodies manage stress and are our sources of creativity and grounding.
Many go through life without thinking about our bodies. Everything is all caught up in our heads. We are focused on what needs to be done, what is happening now, what is not happening and who needs us. Our stress has increased and our quality of life has decreased. We need to live more consciously through our bodies. We need to do this no matter where we are or what we are doing.
To start, live in more spaces. If you sit a lot at work, stand up more. If you always usually sit in one spot, try another one. While waiting in line or anywhere stretch your body. While working at your computer, pause and stretch from your shoulder, through each arm and out through your fingers. As we are more conscious of our bodies, our inward presence begins to deepen as does the quality of our lives. We listen to our bodies more. If our legs are cramped we take the time to stand and stretch. This is more than just taking a break. It is living and working through both our minds and bodies.
Try brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand. While waiting in line stand with your legs apart. Stand up while working and sit on the floor while watching television. Eat slowly and chew your food more paying attention to flavor. Take longer showers. Wiggle your toes during a long meeting. Learn to lift your chest, soften your diaphragm and feel your legs and feet at the same time.
This will be the beginning of a new lifestyle where mind-body practice develops. Live in more spaces. When we do we discover our sense of center. We consciously and actively deepen the connection we experience between mind and body.
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