Talking Bodies: Is It Really Pain?

I’ve finally made it to Ljubljana! And let me tell you — this city is stunning. I totally adore it. The architecture, the energy, the snow-capped mountains in the distance… it’s got me lit up.

And — talking bodies. And boy, is my body talking.

I woke up with this intense pain right between my shoulder blades. The kind where you can’t move your neck and it feels like your entire upper back has decided to become a brick wall.

And of course, the first question that comes up is:

Is this really pain? Or is my body trying to tell me something?

When stuff like this shows up, there are a few things I like to do;

One of the simplest — and most powerful — is to just expand out.

What do I mean by that?

Literally:

• Find the outside edges of you.

• Stretch your awareness out beyond your body.

• Get a sense of the planet.

• Breathe.

• Be with the space around you.

That’s what I did this morning.

I looked out and saw those snow-covered mountains. Let myself be space.

And sure enough — the tension started to shift. Even if only a little. Because our bodies respond so much to how much space we are willing to be.

Back to this neck/shoulder/back thing. It really felt like I’d done a full upper-body CrossFit session in my sleep.

Bed push-ups, anyone?

(…No, sadly not. Or maybe I did and I’m just not telling you. We’ll save that story for another time )

So here’s where the real body talk starts.

When you’re experiencing pain, tension, or discomfort in your body, try asking:

• Where am I holding myself back?

• What am I hiding behind me that I’m not willing to see?

• What am I trying to protect myself from?

Because pain isn’t always “just pain.” Sometimes it’s a whisper. Sometimes it’s a shout. Sometimes it’s your body going:

“Hey! You’re finally listening! Let’s do this differently.”

So I asked my body, “What are you trying to tell me?”

And the first thing that came up was:

It’s all okay. I’ve got your back.

Literally and metaphorically. My body has my back.

And I laughed, because apparently I forgot that the universe has my back, too.

Now, if you’re wondering what that even means — “the universe has your back” — it’s this:

It means that everything in the universe is available to support you in creating what you'd like to have.

But here’s the trick: You’ve got to be willing to receive it.

That was a big one for me today.

Right when my low back flared up, I caught myself saying:

“Well, as long as I’m willing to receive it…”

And my body went, boom, relaxed. Then I thought, “Wait, was that just me making it up?”

So I tried to explain it, of course. (Classic.)

And that’s when I remembered: Stop trying to explain it. Just ask more questions.

What if this “pain” is actually change?

What if my body is showing me that I’m finally willing to receive more — from the universe, from people I used to push away?

What if my body has been trying to say this for centuries… and I’m just now starting to hear it?

That could be it too.

So I said:

“Body, thank you. Can we have a little more ease with this?”

And my body was like:

“Yeah. Go get your [Access] Bars run.”

Good idea.

So if you see me today, and I seem a little intense — that’s my body. Not a problem. I’m just going to be it.

Thanks for reading another edition of “Talking Bodies” 

— Connor