Can you look at your symptoms as an adventure?
I can hear it now…Dr. Steve…really?
For most people that I have seen over the years, they rarely, if ever truly connect to their body in a meaningful way.
And not that they need do, it’s just when they have symptoms, a very common experience as they are forced to pay attention to their body is,
“I can’t believe how I let myself go”
or “I can’t believe how I have gained weight”
or “I can’t believe I haven’t worked out in weeks”
or “I knew I should have been stretching” etc etc…
So there is evidence to have me conclude to some degree, that connecting with your body IS part of the point of a symptom.
You maybe can think of it as a call to return you into the home in which YOU reside.
Teaching breath-work classes over the years, I have noticed this same thing in workshops.
Even without necessarily the presence of symptoms, when people pause long enough from normal life, to reflect and connect to the body and breath, emotions arise, the mental chatter slows, they remember what life is about…weird stuff like that…
All from paying attention to their body.
So I propose this.
If you have a symptom or you know those with symptoms, go on an adventure.
Place your hand on the symptoms, whether it’s a big toe, a neck a jaw, and JUST SIT WITH IT with YOUR HAND ON IT.
Don’t try to run from it, get rid of it, or do anything with it.
Instead, adventure with it.
Talk to it.
Sing with it.
Laugh with it.
Yell at it.
Ask questions like, “what do you want me to do?”
Befriend it.
I assure you. Something will shift.
You are going counter-culture with your approach to befriend it, instead of it being your dreaded enemy.
And since you may be habituated to making every symptom your enemy, give yourself a little grace time, and a few repetitions to get some value.
You may find, when you change to more of an adventurous approach, from ENEMY to ALLY, your system may just provide you with some pretty amazing feedback to reward you for being more playful.
All the best,
Dr. Steve
P.S. Stay Playful
