The Body As A Teacher

Enjoy this talk I recorded in 2012 entitled The Body As a Teacher. The Body as a Teacher explores how our bodies communicate when we are open to life and when we are resisting it. Through sensations, tension, and ease, the body provides real-time feedback about our inner experiences and responses to the world around us.

This talk invites participants to tune into these signals with curiosity rather than judgment, deepening self-awareness and emotional resilience. This talk also includes a brief somatic mindfulness scan (mindfulness of the body and sensations) to help you directly experience this connection, fostering a deeper trust in the body's wisdom and forming a greater capacity to let go and live life more fully.

Transcript

I wanted to start tonight by this is a wonderful Little book here called Emanuel's book and some wonderful writings So I just want to begin with this wonderful piece by Emanuel Leave your heart open to divine guidance not passively as a leaf upon the river but as a navigator on That river who may flow with the lovely depth and swiftness of the current Yet who also takes responsibility for his own craft?

So that really speaks to This this guidance that we're talking about this body divine guidance or this body which is Can be such a wise teacher if we're willing to to listen What is our relationship?

To this body,

You know,

How are we really being?

And I found this last week that I was Not being completely honest and and trusting of my own body,

So that was one of the things that I I Noticed I noticed that Yeah,

I noticed that I was not trusting things that were were coming up in my body like I I felt like There was some kind of danger And I didn't notice that before so that when I got very quiet and I listened to my body.

I Just noticed that I wasn't being You know,

I just like What's it up to what's that feeling about,

You know,

It's just being sort of Not completely open and that when I saw that I was then able to go oh That's how I am in life So that was really a powerful Insight for me that I that I had this sense of Not trusting completely and what was arising in my own body and when I looked outward it translated Into how I am sometimes in with my in my life with other people So that was a pretty powerful insight.

And so the question again is What is our relationship with our body?

How?

Do we trust it?

Do we are we willing to?

Listen to What this body has to say?

And of course in this body,

There are all kinds of things happening There is breath that we'll talk about later breath can be very informative How we're breathing Just you know again not to not as a judgment,

This is a non judge judgmental awareness again But Just coming in and noticing the breath Sometimes it's very shallow and what's that about or sometimes it's very free and moving And it changes and so the breath is part of the body can be very informative and then of course the body itself and all of the sensations and Emotions and feelings that are arising up moment by moment Can be very informative as well There's a lot of information there if we just sit back and allow that Those feelings to arise and then of course the big one,

Which you hear me talk about a lot,

Which is What I believe most spiritual And Spiritual practices are about and processes.

It's about resistance So noticing resistance in the body that in itself is a pretty powerful Teacher and it's not resistance in a bad.

Oh,

That's bad.

Let me get rid of that.

It just shows us those places within our body within our emotional system Where we're not or we're saying no because that's what resistance is.

It's no don't go there.

Don't feel that Get away and yet when we look at that we go well that doesn't even make sense How can there be anything?

That you know and we know when we know when we when we are with resistance when we Stop in when we check in and we are really opening to resistance We know that that's not healthy We know that that can even become a bit toxic if we hold on because it feels like this and this doesn't feel so so great and a but a lot of us are walking around with all kinds of Resistance in different parts of our bodies that we're most of us are unaware of and so Resistance can be a very informative teacher so all of these different things and and even and I'll even dare to say that thoughts can even be very informative about what we're thinking about and how Thoughts what thoughts are rising and how they're rising so you can see now that as I'm speaking about this there's that That quality of unconditioned awareness Happening here right instead of being completely immersed in resistance We're viewing it from awareness,

Right?

So awareness is still Very important and so meditations obviously our sitting practice is still very important because it gives us the capacity to be aware and So that if we're being aware,

Then we can see these clouds moving through all of this information thoughts emotions feelings resistance all of that that the body has to say to us and instead of being caught in it and Grasping and pushing away.

We can be we can have this non-judgmental awareness that allows us to be informed and I mean every time for me.

I've never found a time.

It was just like I was speaking about this awareness.

I noticed that That I was that my there was I was not trusting and what was arising and I didn't have to do anything about that Wasn't like I went.

Oh now,

How do I fix that?

No,

I didn't have to do that at a moment that I saw that that was happening in my body immediately the insight popped up and then I immediately I saw how it was being in my life and it didn't have to change anything because it had already shifted just the the the illumination of That just the illumination The the knowing that that was the Seeing of that the scene clearly that that was happening my body immediately.

It shifted because before it wasn't something I knew about Right because I wasn't listening to that.

I wasn't listening fully that when I did listen I saw this wonderful insight and then everything else Manifested everything else changed Automatically,

It was nothing that I had to do Really although every time I would be in a situation that day in the last few days I Find it popping up.

Like I'll just notice.

Oh,

Oh Am I not trusting like something will arise in my body and I'll notice that that I'm sort of like that again like Is that okay to arise and I'll just say oh I'm not trusting and then it'll and then I'll see it in my life,

Too Like the like the way I look at my son or something like like he'll say Well,

I'm gonna go over this person's house and before I might I might not trust him about something I noticed that that sort of shifted a little bit too.

Like I'm more willing to trust in him You know,

Of course,

He's 15.

So not completely but more And I just found that that it shifted a lot Just I mean like sometimes it can be subtle and yet again,

It can be very big like that It's a subtle shift that it can change in all little places and different places in your life.

So I really Noticed that So we already we already mentioned this was actually something I wrote last week which which was What is your relationship with your body and this moment,

How are you being and how does the way you are being?

Translate into how you are in life with family friends work in the environment again So just bringing that question into your life How am I being and just really opening up to this body?

Again as a wise teacher just to listen Just as an example,

I had to go to the dentist today I'm not a big fan of the dentist Like most people aren't a big fan of the dentist,

But I was going I was on my way to the dentist and I walked into the building and I just All this I was a little busy But all of a sudden I went I had a little some awareness arose and I said I said Oh,

I'm gonna check in when I say check in I'm checking into my body And I just checked in in a bit more in a subtle way that I that I've been doing lately It was really a subtle way of checking in and I noticed that my drawer really tight That I had that real tension in my jaw and I was like,

Oh,

That's interesting And so I sat down in the waiting room and I just sat with that.

I just noticed I did non-judgmental not good or bad,

But just noticed that my jaw was a little tight and I sat with it and it started to You know I felt some resistance and I just sat with it and it started to expand and expand and then it rose that It's amazing.

This happens sometimes When you're with something like that it arose that when I was a young kid that I had this dentist that didn't use Novocaine and he would give me he would drill drill the for the cavities and So I had all this tension is actually from and and so just seeing that again all of a sudden I was like well I'm not I'm not seven years old now.

I'm here.

I'm okay And and you know just noticing that that I that I that I was okay And then it diminished and I was able to sit And not be like this the whole time just because I took a little bit of time to check in but mostly because I was Listening right?

I was listening to my body.

I Was trusting this information and the information of course comes in many different ways in this case It was just a tightness in my jaw,

Which was kind of weird I just noticed that that was a little different that that I had a lot of tension in my so so that process is a good example of what happens when we just We just listen,

You know and and as far as non judgmental I mean most everyone knows what that means,

Right?

It means that In and we all do this.

We all have this Arise when something arises in our body we have these judgments and these preferences that arrive arise.

Oh,

That's bad It just happens.

It's a habit.

It's gonna do the mind jumps in and says that's bad We got to get rid of it and then resistance jumps in right because we can't really get rid of it Real what we're really doing is we're just tightening around it.

It hasn't gone anywhere.

And so it doesn't go anywhere so that's a judgment and then we can just notice that that when we have a judgment it does create a bit of resistance like if I would have Said if I would have felt that and went,

You know,

I don't like that it would just created more resistance right and then I would have sat there the whole time and I would have Been stressed because that's what resistance is.

It's stress So Not bad not good when we trust in the body when we trust in the information as awareness Everything that's arising is just information,

Right?

It's not bad or good Right or wrong?

It's just information and it's not even always accurate.

So but as as as As As awareness we can sit there and see what is true We don't have to believe necessarily in it,

But we can we can at least listen because sometimes Sometimes thoughts especially well a lot of times thoughts aren't particularly Legitimate but we can still learn a lot about how we are being do you understand that part?

Like if there are thoughts about getting away Then we can just say wow,

Why am I trying to get away from this moment or this experience?

So that's informing us,

Right?

That's a pretty powerful Insight.

Why would I be trying to get away from from you know,

Like if I would have noticed You know,

There were a bunch of thoughts arising about you know,

We don't really need to go to the dentist today Let's just call in and cancel the appointment because I thought about that actually You know because I didn't really want to do it.

I could have just called up,

You know,

Oh,

You know I'm not feeling well today or I have an appointment and I've done this before and Then I could have gotten out of it and I could just notice that there were those kinds of thoughts that would that may have Been arising they weren't necessarily today,

But that would be a one thing that would inform me and then I would jump in and say Why am I trying to get out of this and then I would notice this the jaw tightening up and then maybe I'll notice Why I don't want to go or maybe it's just pain.

I don't like pain,

You know,

Like like most people So how we are listening to our bodies again mares How we listen so I mentioned that earlier tonight it's so true How again this is It comes down to a lot of trust trusting in what's arising and noticing that translates You know how we're listening to ourselves is really in a lot of cases how we're listening to others and Believe me it actually it just don't believe me but try that just notice that when you are in a certain Something's happening and you're very resistant that when you speak to someone you will actually You'll just notice that you're being resistant to when you're when you're speaking to someone or or when you're doing some kind of activity So the way that we the way in which we listen is Directly related to how we live our lives.

So that Just the listening itself and how we're listening can be very informative that's what I call sort of listening to your You're listening Right seeing the qualities of how you're listening and a lot of times like I noticed sometimes in myself and I'm sure that many of you noticed that You're listening is a lot about controlling Instead of surrendering right instead of saying.

Oh,

Yeah I'm willing to listen to whatever my body has to say.

I'm willing to To surrender to those emotions to those feelings that don't feel so good a lot of times We think that's what we're doing.

But really a lot of times we're trying to control it Right,

So it's not a complete surrender.

It's It's like well all listen,

But I'm not gonna completely surrender I'm going to do this or that so it's just noticing the quality again Listening to listening noticing the quality of that and and is it judgmental?

Is that listening judgmental?

Is it is there a controlling happening so that can be really important thing to notice This is a Poem that many of you know,

I'm sure you've heard me say it before but I love it It's a piece by Rumi it's called the guest house this being human is a guest house Every morning a new arrival a joy a depression a meanness Some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor Welcome and entertain them all Even if they're a crowd of sorrows who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture still Treat each guest honorably He may be clearing you out for some new delight The dark thought the shame the malice meet them at the door laughing and invite them in Be grateful for whoever comes because each has been sent as a guide from beyond Right,

Right There's nothing that ever arises in this body That is bad,

That's just years and years and centuries of conditioning There's nothing that we that we need to get rid of because when there is a surrender when there is an openness Then nothing is pushed away and when something is brought up Even if it is an unskillful action or an unskillful way that we're being the moment that you Try to get rid of it.

You can't see it anymore.

You put it in a little dark place and Then you can't learn from it Right,

You can't learn from something that you can't see but when you're willing to to let it all come and go But when you're willing to listen in that way without it needing to be bad or good or right or wrong Even the most as as Rumi says it's that stuff that just comes in and just just shifts the furniture and believe me the more that we open the more the furniture will get shifted because structures are sort of Unstable right they're falling apart.

Someone's pulling the rug out from under us if we're really Opening and surrendering the rug is being pulled out from under us many times whether it's in a spiritual practice Or just something in our lives completely shifts,

You know Someone dies or something changes or we lose our job or the infinite number of things so what I'd like to do is End tonight with we have about five minutes And I'd like to end with the real brief it's a it's sort of a body scan,

But it's it's also sort of a role honoring and listening to this body and the breath and And even spirit within that if that's what you want to call it,

There are many words for unconditioned awareness God a spirit Infinite The absolute whatever you want to call it.

We don't have to call it anything.

It's just that that space where Everything rises and passes in and out of so why don't we get it comfortable again?

And we'll go ahead and explore this wonderful little meditation if that's what we want to call it So again,

Just letting the body settle Mind settle no expectations just sitting and Once again noticing the breath as it rises and falls And that's we're aware of the breath we're just you can just See the breath as Part of this body this wise teacher and just noticing The Breath and how How it informs us about how we are being in this body how we are being It's noticing not trying to figure it out just being aware And then bringing awareness to our feet Noticing all of the nuances energy Feelings and sensations in the feet And just as with the breath just opening has awareness Listening to this body honoring this wise teacher and what it has to say As we move up the body just listening to all the information that the body has to give us Bringing our awareness up to our calves What's happening in your calves Bringing our awareness now to Our legs It's happening in our legs Allowing awareness to move up To our pelvic area to the hips and the pelvic area What's happening here in your body What is happening now Allowing awareness to Move into your stomach What's happening in your stomach Into your chest it's happening in the chest Back of the chest It's happening in the back itself Allowing awareness to move up Open inviting awareness just listening without judgment Noticing the shoulders and the neck What does this part of our body have to say how is it informing us Aware of the arms and the hands And then back up to the head Jaw The back of the head The eyes the whole head Now opening to the entire body Not necessarily focusing on any part of the body just as a whole just Expanded awareness of the body You'll be noticing if there's one side of the body that's heavier than the other side Or if the top or the bottom may be heavier or lighter And then finally noticing That space within you that unconditioned space Beyond thoughts on Body itself What some call spirit or Emptiness The absolute emptiness Just noticing where you feel that and allowing that to on yourself to open to that space The space in between the thoughts in between experience And Now taking all of this information that we've gained From the body from the breath and from spirit from emptiness And seeing how that all that information is informing us about this moment and how We live our life And how we can live our life so creating and with all of that creating sort of an intention Of how we would like to live our life How we would like to be And Then just letting that intention go just letting it fly away not needing to chase it Not needing to get to it Or try just letting it go letting it manifest on its own Intention is already there There Just to end with this quote by Peter Levine Without a clear connection to our instincts and feelings We cannot feel our connection and sense of belonging to this earth to a family or anything else So,

Thank you You