Feeling vs Thinking
We have been led to believe that the brain is the CEO of the body. The truth is - the two work as a team, with information flowing in a constant feedback loop.
You may think your conscious mind is running the show but we are first and foremost, feeling our way through the world. Our bodies are setting the course, before the conscious mind rationalizes the direction.
This is why no matter how hard you try, you can’t think yourself out of a feeling. How many times have you felt pulled towards or away from something without understanding why? Or had a strong gut feeling about a person or place that seemed illogical on the surface? These are examples of your felt sense in action.
Your Felt Sense
The body is constantly processing and downloading huge amounts of information using the sensory systems. Adding it to a vast library of previous events that are imprinted into the subconscious. This immense data set gives us our intuition, our felt sense of whether to approach or avoid certain people or situations.
Over-thinking and under-feeling
And yet we are conditioned to ignore internal sensations and what the body is telling us so we can follow the rules of life - external demands and expectations. As a result we live almost entirely in our conscious minds, ignoring the wisdom of the subconscious.
When we do this, body sensations and emotions have to be extreme for us to pay attention. Think pain, anxiety, tension, depression. This is frightening and overwhelming for us and means we often double down on suppressing how we feel - further propagating a vicious cycle. And by numbing ourselves to unpleasant feelings we also numb the pleasant.
Dis-integration causes distress
With the understanding I have now, I can look back and see that I had two modes. Either manipulating my body to push through, perform or look a certain way or completely ignoring it and trying desperately to suppress or distract away from painful feelings. And I wondered why I felt so exhausted, sick and anxious…
By disconnecting we become out of sync. This dis-integration is a factor in why we often feel confused, overwhelmed, out of control and even betrayed by our bodies. Our felt sense is a vital tool in understanding our limits, rhythms, boundaries and needs. If we want to be well and stay well, we must feel.
Exploring your Felt Sense
The good news is that no matter what - our body's wisdom is always accessible to us. We can improve communication by understanding the sensory systems and engaging in practices that focus on them.
There are three sensory feedback systems:
Exteroception, which is sensing the external environment through the body (eg eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin) to the brain. A good example of this would be a mindfulness exercise that focuses on paying attention to sounds or smells around you.
Proprioception is sensory feedback of the body related to gravity. Neurons bring sensory information from the joints of the body and inner ear to the brain. Examples of exercise that rely on and improve proprioception include Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi and Dance.
Interoception involves feelings of the internal body such as sense of hunger, thirst, temperature, pain, or tension. It provides feedback about emotional experiences facilitated by sensory neurons that bring information from muscles, organs, and connective tissue to the brain. A mindful eating exercise or a body scan meditation are examples of this.
The Embody class draws upon all three of these sensory systems to foster a stronger connection with your felt sense.
How connection to the Felt Sense boosts well being
Improved understanding of the messages from your body enables you to take better care of yourself - avoid burnout, chronic pain, fatigue and disease.
Heightened sensitivity to pleasant emotions and feelings
Deepened intuition increases certainty and ease in making decisions
Helps you feel more present and focused in daily life
Improved ability to modulate negative emotions
Enables you to metabolise stress in a healthy way
Conclusion
Our bodies have innate wisdom. When we disassociate from it by numbing and suppressing sensations we cut ourselves off from vital information. Cultivating more awareness of our felt sense and it’s connection to emotions, thoughts and vice versa is key in developing a heightened awareness of our needs. It also gives us the opportunity to change our emotional state through the body. Because emotions manifest in the body as physical sensations, it follows that physical sensations can produce corresponding emotions. We can ignore our bodies and try to think our way to wellbeing - swimming against the tide. Or we can feel and work with our bodies. We need to feel to heal - and thrive.
