Where do you feel it? - The Mind Body Connection

I just listened to a Jocko audio clip about Navy Seals not wanting to be nervous and show “weakness”.  You can listen to the clip here:

https://youtube.com/shorts/KbV8KH2WbNw?feature=share

He said something similar to this: (paraphrased)

“I would ask guys on their way to their first mission how they were feeling knowing they were nervous, and not wanting to to show weakness they would say I feel great.  But then if I asked them how their stomach felt they would say yeah a little off.  They wouldn’t know what the feeling was or how to describe it.   I would tell them yea that’s totally natural that’s your body moving blood from your stomach to your body to prepare you to fight.  It’s totally natural and helpful.  You’re supposed to feel that”

I’ve done EMDR therapy in the past which I’ve talked about.  If you don’t know what that is you can check it out here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IPsBPH2M1U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOkSm90f2Do

But during therapy my practitioner would often ask where I felt certain feelings or events in my body.  Establishing the body brain connection.  I think we often forget that our brain, which is where our thoughts originate is physically connected to our body.  One affects the other, and it goes both ways.  What we do with our body affects our brain, and what we think with our brain affects our body.  

Sit with that for a minute.  If you’re able close your eyes and think about that.  Then become aware of your body and what you currently feel.  Are you stressed?  Where does that show up in your body.  Are you worried?  Where does that show up?  Are you happy?  Where does that show up?

This isn’t some woo woo thing.  The medical and research community is continuing to validate the brain body connection and the importance of tuning into that.  Slow focused muscle contracting is becoming more popular training in the fitness space.  Consciously slowing down and feeling the muscle fibers contract individually through each rep.  The process is showing up in athletes performance.  

We all hold our different emotions in different parts of our body.  There is a great book called:

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk M.D. 

Amazon link: The Body Keeps the Score 

It establishes theses claims and of the body mind connection.  

What are some of the ways we can do this.  Well it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what my go to’s are:

1- Breath work.  I’ll combine meditation with this.  Want to slow down and feel sensations in your body you’re not familiar with?  Just focus on your breath for 3 minutes feel what comes and what goes without judgement.  It’s a great way to establish mind body connection 

2- Cold exposure.  Want to feel things in and on your body that you are uncomfortable with?  Want to sit in an environment you don’t like.  Want to not be able to breathe at first, then be able to control your breath within seconds though mental focus .  Your mind and body say NO!!! And then together you force them to say yes and sit in it.  This will establish the mind body connection.  

3- Sauna/heat exposure. I will reiterate a lot of cold exposure.  But sit in a sauna and watch sweat literally appear as your body and mind are trying to control your internal temperature.  Feel your heart rate increase,  you get a little light headed.  All this is establishing the mind body connection.  

4- Exercising. Exercising is a simple way to establish your mind body connection.   I have a temptation to punish myself during work out so I don’t think of anything and it’s a way to escape.  That’s great for certain times.  Other times I’ll run with my mouth taped shut and nasal breathe to slow down and focus on my breath, the air coming in, moving my diaphragm, engaging my primary breathing muscles. This also establishes the mind body connection.    

However you want to work on the Mind Body connection is up to you if you even want to do it.  I think there’s so many proven benefits to practicing it in some fashion.  Try working out, heat, cold, breath work, meditation, or EMDR therapy.   

If you have any experiences with any of those please leave a comment I’d love to hear from you.  Also can I say practice these within your limits and consult a Doctor if you’re not sure what your limits are.  

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DEEP BREATH…Hold…Exhale

Darren