Do You Know The Score?
I’d like to express is how beautiful it is to witness / experience or see first hand how much we are holding onto in our bodies & minds.
I suppose what I'm asking here is:
Are you aware of the score? …the score your body holds as a signal back to you / us telling us something is happening.
Why is knowing the score so beautiful?
…because it invites AWARENESS into our lives.
I’m not here to say what we should then do with this awareness…this is for you and only you to decide.
“I’m here to say, our bodies are the surest way to explore exactly what we are holding onto, and therefore allowing us to assess what we choose to let go of”
(A.Lakhani)
I’m choose the write this article because I believe in the POWER OF AWARENESS.
Just as your car needs an annual check to see if any of its mechanics are in need of attention & repair, we to are in need of awareness of the score our minds & bodies are holding within us.
Surely, we are then better able to pay attention to / repair / let go what no longer serves the running mechanics of our mind & bodies for the journey we choose to go on?
Another way explaining the importance of being AWARE of what experiences your “holding onto” is to use the analogy of a pilot.
Imagine a pilot who has CHOSEN to fly from London to New York. Imagine this same pilot not once checking the integrity of his aircraft either before / during or after the flight? How about the pilot not once checking his speed / fuel / altitude / direction / weather patterns or surrounding aircraft movement while on the journey?
Its inconceivable to expect that’s same pilot to make it to New York in one peace. Its not impossible mind you, but id question the depth of that flight experience…wouldn’t you?
Imagine how bumpy / turbulent / shake and hectic that flight would be if he wasn’t AWARE of all those things I mentioned above?
“Just as the pilot’s cockpit instruments holds the score for how the flight is progressing on the journey, similarly our bodies too hold the score in what we are holding into as we move towards life’s journey. “
(A.Lakhani)
Hopefully by now I have managed to communicate my main point behind this article.
If I've done this are your still reading….im content.
However, id like to attempt to share my 2nd and final point with you.
This is around HOW TO practically experience what I’m talking about.
Or
How to FEEL / HEAR / SEE / WITNESS the score our bodies are holding.
Many of us don’t need to practice yoga to be aware of any stress / strain in our bodies?
When you ask people the question “where do you physically experience stress in your bodies”, we will be amazed to find out people’s level of self-awareness as people begin to identify with various parts of their bodies simply though tracing the thought of the question.
How many of us self sooth (stroke / cup / rub) our backs after sitting down for a long time?
Or
Quickly jolt into self-soothing action when we have a cramp?
If you can relate to the above then congratulations, your probably able to connect the dots of this article.
If you have had cramp ever, you have first hand experienced how your body…HELD THE SCORE with you. It probably indicated to you the lack of salt / water / sugar in your body, which was the result of not eating, what may have been the result of being busy etc.
Am I right?
However, perhaps a more PROACTIVE way to experience a deeper version of this awareness is by consciously putting your body into a compromised position and search for the subtle areas where your body is HOLDING THE SCORE.
Almost the search for the not so obvious…
Or
Searching through the SUB-CONCIOUS!
Wow, even as I type that I realise now why I’m writing this.
I’ve just connected the dots myself just now.
“The practice of yoga is surely they journey towards the sub-conscious self and perhaps beyond?”
(A.Lakani)
Imagine hacking into the deep mechanics of a computer and having the freedom to change the entire speed / performance / dynamic of specification?
In the same way,
Imagine being able to tap into your sub-conscious mind (and beyond) and being able to see what experiences / traces /memories sit there which fuel our everyday behaviours?
I don’t know about you, but I find this so fascinating! What a “super-power that would be”
For me, it was yoga that brought about this super-power.
When I distil it down, I reflect upon x3 core ingredients needed to be able to harness this superpower.
Harness tis SKILL if self-awareness at a conscious & sub-conscious level
Harness knowing of how the body is HOLDING THE SCORE.
Here are those x3 key ingredients:
1. BODY - Shaping your body in stretched position for a prolonged period (e.g. forward bend = bent over trying to touch your toes)
2. BREATH – Once you have arrived at a position…..to gently breath
3. MIND – Once you are here, using your mind to scan / trace / relate to / connect with areas of your body which “experience” tension (resulting from a stretch).
If your still with me, you’re probably wondering what to do now your connected to this awareness of the “score” your body is holding?
As I said before…. it’s for you to decide now.
Perhaps you will choose to continue to watch / explore the score…
Perhaps you will act and release the score…
I just want you to know, that the next time you reactively or proactively become aware of a feeling / sensation in your body…. know that it’s holding the score for you. Know it’s calling for your care, attention, and energy to either release it, or let it be.
Either way, it serves a purpose.
So, scan your body, find out the score.
I hope somehow this helped.