The human body is a true symbol of resilience and intelligence. From the moment we are born until we die, our body is among the only guaranteed constants that journey with us through it all. Serving as a repository of our thoughts, feelings, memories, experiences and interactions, our body shapes our perception of who we are, how we make sense of and navigate the world.
An undeniable aspect of this premise is the intricate, reciprocal relationship shared between our physical body and our emotional, cognitive, social, cultural, political as well as spiritual selves. Whether we consciously recognise it or not, our bodies are constantly communicating with us, giving us cues about our feelings, needs, internal and external realities. This may occur as subtle shifts in energy, changes in breathing patterns, disruptions of sleep cycles, alterations in feeling/mood states, feelings of hunger/thirst – and the list goes on.
Sometimes our receptiveness to communications from our body can be undermined by trauma, our history, the social-political landscapes we live in and a host of other factors. Not to forget, the relationship we share with our body is often imperfectly perfect: nuanced, beautiful and most importantly, deeply personal. It is therefore not uncommon to feel disconnected from our body, sense of self or reality. Yet, as the body intelligently finds ways to adapt to circumstances and challenges, it doesn’t fail to show up. Whether it’s our heart beating, blood circulating, nervous system regulating, lungs inflating, energy metabolising or neurons firing – our cells are constantly at work to keep us going.
By returning our attention to our body in stillness and in motion, we open ourselves to familiar but forgotten possibilities of knowing, being and healing. Dance/Movement Therapy, as a therapeutic modality, believes in this inherent wisdom and power of the body – drawing from it to work towards an overall sense of well-being, connectedness and awareness.
So, take a second to pause, listen and ask yourself: what is my body saying?
Written by: Aanchal Anand
Note: This piece is written by a currently able-bodied, cis-het female with socio-economic, education and caste privileges. This piece isn’t intended to generalise the lived experiences of all bodies but is a reflection on the collective wisdom inherent within all bodies.
'Cut From The Same Cloth' created by Ishan Venkat and has been selected by the guest blogger. The artwork used in this blog post is not a property of IADMT.
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