Experiential mind-body connection

Discovering the mind body connection for yourself.

To do this simple short exercise, read the instruction first: Find a comfortable place where you are unlikely to be disturbed for the next few minutes. This exercise is best done sitting done, find a comfortable posture, ensure your head, neck and back are aligned, erect but not rigid. Bring your focus to your shoulders and relax them gently.

When you are ready gently close your eyes, take a deep breath in, hold your breath for a few seconds and then relax allowing the breath to breathe out, repeat this process a couple of times, and when you feel calm and relaxed, think about an event made your unhappy or bring something to your mind that you don’t like. Try to recall the event as best as you can, the individuals involved, the environment this took place in.

After a minute or so, bring your awareness to your chest, how does it feel here? How does your jaw feel, is it tight or relaxed? Are there any sensations you can notice in your body?

Once again, take a deep breath in, hold it for a few seconds and then relax, allowing the breath to breathe out. Repeat this process two more times, and when you feel ready, brings to your mind someone you love. Spend a few minutes recall their face, their mannerism when you last saw them etc as best as you can. After a minute or so, again bring your awareness to your chest, how does it feel here? How does your jaw feel, is it tight or relaxed? Are there any sensations you can notice in your body?

What did you notice? Many people feel a tightening in their chest area, tension in their jaw, teeth clenched when they recall someone or something which made them angry or don’t like. In contrast, when they recalled someone they loved or a pleasant event, they experienced“openness” in the chest, jaws, body generally felt light and relaxed.

This simple exercise demonstrates something profoundly important. Our thoughts give rise to emotions which are experienced as sensations within the body. In other words, our thoughts (mind) affects our body, a clear indication of the mind body interconnection.

Despite this obvious connection, the current biomedical model fails to consider this connection and thus, provides treatments for “psychological” conditions and “physiological” conditions. Perhaps it’s the motivation for profit that keeps the mind body separate.

The Flame's 5th National Event on Mindfulness & Spiritual Intelligence will be coming to the UK in October 2017. Book your ticket for £5 today

Notes to editors:

The Flame provides a WHOLE new approach to health and well-being like you have never seen before. We authentically break convention and have helped over 14,000 people regain control of their health and well-being. Improving the lives, health and wellbeing of those affected by physical, mental, emotional issues and spiritual emergence. People learn to enable their body’s capacity to heal itself.