There once was a sore and achy left hip that wanted to communicate to Command Central (ComCen) that something wasn’t quite right. So the hip enclosed its message in a bundle of neurons, the messenger, and sent it on its way. The messenger found his way to the super highway and was moving along, humming and happy to be in the flow.

All of a sudden, out of nowhere, something plowed into his side and sent him reeling and tumbling end over end until he came to rest in a ditch.

The messenger shook himself off and looked around trying to get his bearings. There, bigger than anything the messenger had ever seen, was a massive, oily, sludge-like, black blob. The messenger did not like the looks of that at all and tried to just move around the blob and be on his way. But the blob would have none of it and blocked the messenger’s way. An ugly mouth opened up in the middle of all that blackness, and began to speak. The messenger tried to ignore the voice, but it was compelling, mesmerizing – and he began to listen intently; “You are carrying a worthless, stupid message” it hissed. “No one cares,” it murmured in a whisper that was so loud that it shook the messenger to his core – he didn’t want to hear anymore but the blob was relentless, “Don’t deliver it. The hip is foolish for sending it. It is just a trouble maker, a big baby. Nothing is really wrong.” The blob droned on and on until finally it closed its oily mouth with a nasty grin and slithered away.

The messenger sat immobilized for a long time. He felt woozy and confused. Slowly, he began to recall his journey – he was on a mission to ComCen and even though he couldn’t remember the purpose of that mission, he made his way back onto the super highway and into the flow.

He spent the rest of his journey trying to remember the message he was carrying or even who sent him – blank, nothing – only a sense of some purpose to his mission.

When he arrived to deliver the message, he began to confess that he could not recall why he had been sent. But instead of his confession, a nasty voice he didn’t recognize growled from his mouth, “The stupid left hip thinks something is wrong. But it’s just a big baby that wants to cause trouble. You should ignore it. I was there and I know it’s really nothing. It just wants some attention. So stupid!”

ComCen, confused by the message and preoccupied with the running of the body, asked the messenger to put the message on the desk and turned back to the task at hand. The messenger floated away with a nagging feeling that he had not really completed his mission . . .

Suddenly the whole body was flooded with stress as it began to deal with the day ahead, muscles contracted, the stomach knotted, the mind reeled and the emotional body tensed. Command Central was on full alert; bells ringing, lights flashing, activity everywhere. The message from the hip fluttered to the floor . . . and was forgotten.

A few months later, after many messages – unfortunately usurped and diluted by the black blob – the hip could take no more. Bone scraping on bone, tissue swelling, joint frozen, no longer able to bear weight – the hip failed and the body fell. ComCen was now on full alert to deal with the crisis in the hip.

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The moral of this story is no mystery . . .

It is imperative that we cultivate a compassionate awareness of the messages that our body is sending. And that we do not let our judgment, disdain or apathy (the black blob) usurp and distort those messages. If we are able to hear the messages with clarity and concern, then we can respond in a way that is meaningful and relevant – and circumvent a potential disaster that puts the entire body on full alert, stressed, anxious and unstable.

Deep blessings to you and your body, Carol

“Loving oneself is no easy matter, just because it means loving all of oneself, including the shadow where one is inferior and socially so unacceptable. The care one gives this humiliating part is the cure.” James Hillman

As much as I talk about the wonder of being human and the miracle of the body, it is important to understand that you are NOT your body. You are much more than your body.

You ARE . . .

• the ever present awareness that cares for your body.
• that which experiences your life and is profoundly present in every moment.
• the force that animates your body.
• the intelligence that breathes your body.
• the energy that moves your body.

As a concept, this is fairly accessible. As a way of living, it is elusive. It can be a struggle to hail from the ever present sea of awareness. We tend to over-identify with the body as the sum total of who we are and forget that the core of our being is boundless, pure consciousness. The resolution to this conundrum is NOT to dis-identify with the body as that leads to devaluing this amazing human experience.

Rather, begin to investigate, to inquire, to contemplate, Who am I? It’s fine to begin to answer this with who you think you are; I’m a writer, I’m a wife, I’m a seeker, I’m a business owner . . . These may be ways you’ve identified yourself – but do they speak to who you really are or do they speak to a persona that comes and goes?  Are the answers satisfying? Do they have substance, true substance? Or are they undependable, inconstant, and ever changing? Who is the I that endures? Who is the I that is asking the question?

Gangaji, a spiritual teacher and author, writes: “Unless this question has been truly answered, not just conventionally answered, you will still be hungry to know. The moment of recognizing that no answer has ever satisfied this question is crucial. It is often referred to as the moment of spiritual ripeness, the moment of spiritual maturity. At this point, you can consciously investigate who you really are. When you turn your attention toward the question, Who am I?, perhaps you will see an entity that has your face and your body. But who is aware of that entity? Are you the object, or are you the awareness of the object?”

And why would it matter one way or the other? Why bother to investigate? If you identify with what you DO in your life as who you ARE, then life can knock you around and cause great suffering. Who you truly ARE at the core of your being is constant, stable, unwavering certainty that holds a steadfast place for you to surf the tides of change rather than be swallowed by them. Worth exploring? If so, carry on . . .

Begin to question any assumptions you have made about who you are and what you truly want. When you begin to question the certainty of who you think you are, soften the edges of knowing and let go of any hard and fast identity, what’s left? Perhaps, with any luck at all, what’s left is the truth of who you are – boundless, pure consciousness that inherently contains love, peace, joy and fulfillment . . . A great place from which to experience this amazing human life.

Have a great week,

Carol

“So who are you? You are not objects out there, you are not feelings, your are not thoughts – you are effortlessly aware of all those, so you are not those. Who or what are you?

Say it this way to yourself: I have feelings, but I am not those feelings. Who am I? I have thoughts, but I am not those thoughts. Who am I? I have desires, but I am not those desires. Who am I?

So you push back into the source of your own awareness. You push back into the Witness and you rest in the Witness.” Ken Wilber

Your body loves to feel good – it is constantly striving to feel its best. Through its eloquent language of sensation, it is communicating with you in every moment, letting you know about pain, tension, pleasure, need. By paying attention, you can begin to respond and support the body to feel the best that it can today. To tune in and respond to your body, try this:

• Sitting in a comfortable, supported position, close your eyes. Allow your body to relax completely. Release any tension in your face and throat. Let your belly soften and your limbs be heavy. Take a moment to let this unfold.
• Become aware of any sensations you are having in your body. Can you feel the backs of your legs on the chair? Can you feel the points of pressure where your back is against the chair? Become aware of the feel of your clothes on your skin.
• Keep tuning into the subtleties of the sensations you are having in this moment. Begin to scan more specifically. Are you feeling pain, tension, pleasure, relaxation, freedom, constrictions? Are there certain areas of your body you are more aware of than others?
• Now that you are tuned in, can you feel what you might wish for your body? “My wish for my body is that it: breathes easy; has relaxed shoulders; is free of tension, feels healthy . . .” You get the idea — whatever it is that might help the body to feel good, create a wish. How many wishes can you fulfill in any given moment?

Write some of these wishes down, play with them throughout the day and the week. See what kind of difference it makes to create and fulfill your body’s wishes.

Chantal Deeble of Kinespirit Fitness Studio in NYC teaches Regis and Kelly a few Gyrokinesis moves. Check it out!

I find that waking up my face really helps me when I am feeling scattered or spacey. Try it out, see what you think . . .

Your face is not only what you present to the world, it also affects your body. If you are scowling or tensing your jaw, the body tenses in response. If you smile, the body relaxes. So, to become more conscious of your face, try this:

• Start by relaxing your face completely, no frown or smile, just neutral — do that for 30 seconds.
• Now, use the tips of your fingers to vigorously massage your forehead. Try to get your fingers up under the wrinkle lines.
• Then massage the backs of your jaw. Work your way along the roots of the bottom teeth. Do the same along the roots of the top teeth.
• Pull your ear flaps forward and away from the ears, from top to bottom while opening and closing your jaw. This helps open the ear canal.

Now close your eyes and sit quietly for a moment. What do you notice? Do you feel more alert, energized, calmer? How is your body feeling in response to how your face feels? How are your thoughts? Take a moment to appreciate your senses. Open your eyes and go about your day.