Awareness Breeds Transition
Posted on February 17, 2011 by Joan Shepherd, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
I keep finding evidence to support the claim: Awareness Breeds Transition. I am finding it for myself and teaching it to my clients.
There are many ways to do a body scan. My favorite is Abigail Steidley’s Awareness Bath because the focus is on the Inside Experience, Noticing Tension, and Simply Observing.
Who could imagine that such a seemingly passive approach could reap enormous changes?
But as I say that, I am aware of the amaryllis on my window sill, soon to spread it’s wide soft green palms and reveal it’s astonishing red petals. Have I coerced, made suggestions, tweaked or nudged it? Not a bit. Yes, water, when I remember, but just barely. Awareness breeds transition.
About a month ago I rose early, as is my habit, and sat down to do the body scan. Breath a couple times, then methodically go through my body, part by part, simply noticing. Energy, tension, sensations…When I got to my belly, it felt a little sour and acidic. It very quietly, but firmly told me it did not want coffee.
My brain was stunned. My sacred morning ritual absolutely insists on coffee-freshly ground and prepared in my French Press—with real half and half. A good 2 and a half cups worth. Always.
What the heck was my belly trying to do to my head?
I noted the angst this was causing with great interest. The head gave in begrudgingly to the belly and a cup of Earl Grey was steeped. Amazing. Delicious. Satisfying….for both head and belly.
Incredibly enough (to me, a loyal coffee consumer for many years), I haven’t had coffee for about a month. It was about as effortless a process as I could have ever imagined. No build up, no drama, no stories.
OK, yeah, there’s caffeine in the tea. C’mon, that’s really not the point.
The point is simply by bringing awareness to my body, hearing the message with a little compassion has brought a change that makes me feel better in my skin.
This is the same kind of awareness I work on with my clients. Whether it is frenetic activity, way too much food or addictive substances (the list is infinite), we work first on noticing without judgment. Thoughts and feelings will arise, and we begin to unravel, explore and clean them up.
I invite you to look at some of your rituals. Do your own body scan and see if your body and your brain begin a dialogue. Transition may be just around the corner!
