Body bilingualism (huh?)
I want more of that nuclear-fueled fudge!
No.
I-want-more-fudge. N-o-w!
No. No. No.
Sigh. The internal discussion of my dreams. Not. I DO want more fudge, but my body, which has a quiet voice of its own, is saying “no.” Again and again. I do not want to listen, but the fudge vortex (its creaminess and soothing chocolate intensity) leave me a bit like a moth hovering around a flame. And you can guess how that often ends….
My body frequently communicates with me. It’s just that I’d often rather not listen (especially if it’s about fudge); that mini-apple pie with servings for 2 (truthfully, all for me); or lying around binge-watching a new show; reading a book, while staying warm, and the beat goes on. I often choose not to acknowledge the straightforward and overt communication from my body’s wisdom, even denying its veracity at times. I want what I want.
And what does my body know anyway?
Plenty.
My body knows plenty.
And speaks. But it’s not a form of communication that is taught and overtly validated in our culture. Nope.
I’m often envious of bilingual people. Then I suddenly realized, I’m bilingual. (You, too, I bet.) I do have the capacity to communicate with my body. However, I don’t live in a culture that honors communication from our bodies, so my trust level for validating what I hear or experience is minimal. Such a valuable part of my reality, my authenticity, and I don’t want, or know how, to listen. Ouch.
In college, two years of taking Spanish went to waste because…. I never bothered to practice. Not again. Hey, as a human, I need every insight I can get! If amping up my bilingual capacity for communicating with my body provides more wisdom, I’m all in!
With regard to FUDGE, bilingual communication with my body may not always lead to “oh, it’s too rich for me. I won’t eat any.” (I’m human! Come on!) A more likely scenario would be, “I’m stopping here and eating no more!” At least I’m practicing the path of listening to my body’s language.
An even more challenging bilingual obstacle materializes when my body nudges me toward doing nothing, something I don’t do very well. I should….(go make myself useful, at least that’s what my value system says.) This little bite-sized conundrum occurred yesterday and I put my new bilingualism to test. I just lay on the couch and asked my body how she felt. “Tired. I’m tired of taking care of everyone else. I just want to lay here.” Point made. iPad pulled out to stream…
A great start to compassionate communication with my body. 😉
❤️Please consider sharing with others. Who couldn’t use more heart and humor in their lives?
¡Lo siento mucho!
All I could think of as I was reading your post was “Bodylingual”. Yes, we are all that and more! I recently made a pact with myself as I was laying in the hospital almost 20 days ago with a broken hip--pre-surgery... I am going to start listening to my body and stop making chocolate one of my main meals. Seriously. I would eat chocolate chips or Lindt chocolate from lunch right up until dinner. I think from that moment on, the compulsion was lifted from me. Now when I look at chocolate and romance it or think about eating it, I get physically nauseous. The same thing happened to me over 27 years ago when I got sober. Four months in I had a Spiritual experience and that was it. I never looked back.