Relearning The Language Of the Body.

We’re told – listen to your body.
As if it should be easy.
To honour our hunger.
To rest when we’re tired.
To move when we feel called to.
To soften when we’ve been holding too much.

And yet for many of us, this simple advice feels confusing, frustrating - even impossible.
We think we’re listening, but it’s the mind speaking - loud, fast, urgent.

The body doesn’t shout.
It whispers.
Through breath. Through sensation. Through stillness.

In a world that rewards speed and noise, we’ve unlearned the language of the body.
We were taught not to listen.
We learned to value doing over being
Control over connection.

But that doesn’t mean it’s lost.
The wisdom never left.
It’s still there.
The body remembers how to speak.
We’ve simply forgotten how to listen.

So how do we begin again?

Not by demanding clarity or perfection - but by softening into presence.
We rebuild trust.
Slowly.
Gently.
Intentionally.

1. Begin by simply being with your body

The first step isn’t to listen.
It’s to be there.
No fixing. No analysing. Just presence.

Start small.
Sit with your body, not to change it, but simply to be with it.
Feel your feet on the floor.
Place your hand on your chest.
Notice your breath. Your shoulders. Your jaw.

Let it be simple. A slow body scan in the morning. A few quiet breaths with eyes closed, hand to heart. The simple anchoring act of touch, resting your palms on your legs, belly, or face, just to feel their warmth and aliveness.

No agenda. Just building this relationship.

2. Return to your body throughout the day - again and again

This connection isn’t built in one long practice.
It’s built in the in-between moments.

When you stand. When you pause. When you wait.

Let these be brief moments of reconnection.

Drop into your body –
Feel your feet.
Notice your breath.
Soften your shoulders.

This is how the language returns. Slowly. Steadily. Naturally.

3. Learn to tell the difference between the body’s voice and the mind’s

This may be the hardest part at first.

The mind is persuasive - fast, reactive, full of urgency.
The body is subtle - calm, grounded, honest.

The mind often speaks in rules, anxiety, comparison.
The body speaks in feelings. A tightening. A pull. A release. A quiet no. A gentle yes.

You might begin with pause.
Let the thought arise.
Let the wave move through.
Let the urgency soften.
And then listen for what comes next.

You may not hear it right away.
But over time, you’ll begin to know the difference.
You’ll feel it.

4. Notice the subtle shifts

Your body is always communicating, even in its quietest moments.
A shallow breath may signal stress.
A clenched jaw might carry unspoken words.
A tight belly could be holding fear.

These are not random.
They’re messages.
Invitations to respond with care.

Ask gently
What might I need right now?
What is my body trying to tell me me?

You don’t need perfect answers.
Just a willingness to stay in the conversation.

The more time you spend with your body, the more fluent you’ll become in its rhythm, its needs, its wisdom.

It may take time.
But it will be worth it.

Because the more you return, the clearer it becomes.
The body never stopped speaking.
It’s just been waiting for you to listen.
And listening is how we come home.
Return to ourselves.