Developing your inner knowing
Have you had food poisoning and knew exactly which bite of food upset you? It’s as if the body knows and though it didn’t fully strike you in the moment, with hindsight, the exact moment that started your food poisoning journey pops into your vision.
I have had those moments recently, not about food poisoning, but about the equilibrium that keeps us functioning optimally. An inner knowing of the moment of significance.
I believe we, humans, are incredibly intuitive but most times do not tune into it because we don’t know how or can’t explain it. It’s different to thinking. It is more a knowing. I know when our physical, emotional, and mental (and spiritual) bodies are in equilibrium we become more ‘connected’ to ourselves. And when one of these ‘bodies’ goes out of equilibrium we fail to function optimally.
I am working on developing my inner knowing or intuition and am following a self-taught method. More about this once I am more into my experiment. Today, I describe my recent moment of significance.
I was in Singapore last week. My husband, Markus, had to attend a conference and I joined him. I had arranged meetings of my own and my scheduled meetings were virtual making location irrelevant. The three days we were there were particularly hot and dry. The public transport (taxis, trains) felt colder than usual. (Or perhaps they are always that cold). Our hotel room was cold too. We kept taking the temperature up on the air conditioner in our room.
After a Zoom call on Thursday afternoon, as I walked to the train station, I felt the sun pierce my skin. I remember looking at my hand and thinking that sensation was not a good thing (for me). It was my moment of significance.
Fast forward to Monday this week (we returned from Singapore the previous Friday) I felt tired. I kept my scheduled appointments. Tuesday, the tiredness felt worse. During a client meeting, my client observed that I looked tired. I said I was feeling tired too but couldn’t attribute it to anything. But by Wednesday, I had a sore throat. And my first thought was the moment I stepped out of my hotel and into the piercing sun!
The temperature change had taken its toll on my body. But until my sore throat manifested itself, I remember wondering if it was my physical or emotional body that was seeking attention. Mentally I was alert. But I knew one of the other 2 was off-kilter. And on Wednesday I had my answer. It was good to have the answer to my “something is off” narrative.
I am writing this on Saturday morning, and I am finally feeling human again. I attended all my appointments. Luckily, all besides one was virtual. But I had to listen to my body and take longer breaks.
Sometimes we push ourselves when rest and a time out is just what is needed. And most times, if we listen, our bodies (physical, emotional, and mental) know exactly what we need. We defy it at our own peril.
Where do you need to take some much-needed time out for your ‘bodies’ to synchronise and maintain equilibrium?
Can you listen to what your body is saying? Because it can be hard. I wanted to keep pushing. But by Thursday, my body decided for me. And I had to listen. Luckily, it is neither Covid nor Dengue. Unfortunately, the number of cases of both are rising presently.
And so, a slightly shorter article this week as I am still listening to my body!
As always, you can reach me at yoga@yoganesadurai.com