Your brain knows, but your body... not so much

You probably know very well why you're tense: it's work, having to juggling with everything, the mental load, or maybe a deep need to have everything under control... You've thought it to through, maybe even talked it through in therapy.

And yet, your body doesn't seem to have gotten the memo that it can chill out.

That's what one of my clients told me when we spoke the first time: "I've done the work, I know what's going on in my head." She had years of self-development behind her, a deep understanding of her story... and a body who didn't want to let go of ANY tension.

We all wish it were simpler, but you can't convince your body to relax. It needs proof, repeated, slow and familiar proof, that it's safe. If you have ever experienced anxiety, you know you can't reason your way through it. It's a visceral feeling, not a cognitive one.

The more I do this amazing job, the more I'm convinced there are two ways into your nervous system.

The first is top-down: thinking, analysing, making sense of things. Of course, it's valuable, and it's the one most of us were taught to use.

The second is bottom-up: sensing, moving, breathing. Instead of telling your body it's safe, you give it direct, physical experiences of safety.

Research on interoception (your ability to perceive signals from inside your body) suggests this second door matters more than we tend to think (with the caveat that the field is young and many studies are small).

But what seems clear to me through experience is this: your body doesn't respond to arguments. It responds reaaally well to repetition, slowness, things that feel familiar. And as someone who lives with anxiety on a daily basis, I know nothing soothes me more than repeating slow, easy Sun Salutations, moving in time with my breath.

What about you? What have you noticed soothes you when you're feeling tense? And do you notice that it has more to do with giving your body relaxing sensations, rather than trying to convince it it should be calm?

Take care,

Clem

PS: In case you missed my email from Monday, I've released a few mini-programs  : Neck & Screens, Hips Unlocked and Night Ritual. 12 days, a short routine every day. My personal method to make sure your body integrates, and feels safe enough to finally relax! All the details can be found here 🤗