Emotional messages from your body to you!
Your physical wellness cannot be separated from your emotions. Every feeling you have affects some part of your body, and can sadly, wield great power over your body.
At the moment there is a real awakening to this fact, and Reflexology (and other complementary therapies) take this interrelatedness between your emotions and physical wellness into account and support your body in the process of trying to counteract and balance the effects felt in the body and mind.
Though it cannot be explained, certain emotions are known to be associated with pain in certain areas of your body.
We can even look to the English language to see that this is so ...
Extreme grief or sadness is related to the heart, hence the saying, having a “broken heart.”
I am seeing a large number of clients with pain and restriction in their shoulder or upper arm muscles. Shoulders are about “bearing a load” and arms are about “reaching out and embracing the experiences of life”. Muscular pain manifests in your body when you are experiencing resistance. So, if we put the two together, you can say that your shoulder pain is about “resistance to bearing a load” for the shoulders, and “resistance to reaching out and embracing life” with regard to the arms.
I put it to a client in this way yesterday ...
Imagine that your life is a river, and you are flowing along with it. Floating is weightless and easy. You feel light and flexible and strong. Then one day, you find yourself standing the other way around, facing the oncoming stream. To remain upright you are required to brace yourself and resist the flow of the water. You turn slightly to put your shoulder in to the flow of the stream, because you feel firmer and stronger that way. This may seem manageable at first, but after a time, your muscles will become tired, start to ache and become painful. The pain will wear you down. You may falter and feel like giving up. The resistance is exhausting!
Your body is constantly communicating to you, through pain and other physical symptoms. There are many amazing people who have documented the metaphysical explanations of specific physical aches, pains and illnesses. My clients often hear me refer to Louise Hay, and I am quick to grab her book “You can Heal Your Life” or refer to her mobile phone App “Heal Your Body”.
As a Reflexologist, the feet are naturally my favourite source of information on this metaphysical level, with every crooked toe, wrinkle, corn, and patch of hard skin on your feet, telling its own story. Chris Stormer’s book “The Language of The Feet” is my ‘bible’ for the purpose of helping me to help you interpret the message portrayed by every part of your feet.
And there are other fantastic therapists and reflexologists who have written fascinating books on this topic too.
But, what can you do about these physical aches and pains that you are feeling right now?
Don't go it alone! While your life is turbulent and you feel as though you are going against the flow, and your body is feeling the consequences, then seek help. Even pop music tells us not to go it alone. My favourite song, "You raise me up" says it like this ...
"You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up to walk on stormy seas; I am strong when I am on your shoulders; You raise me up to more than I can be.”
What is your body trying to tell you? Can you learn from what it is saying? Learn from the pain?
Self exploration is not easy.
Often uncomfortable.
But VERY empowering.
You will feel better, physically, mentally and emotionally! You will have found tools and learnt skills for self improvement.
Of course not all muscular pain is from emotional resistance, so please seek medical intervention if you think you need to.
But on the flip side, don't seek a medical solution when deep down you know the answer to be within your own grasp. The more self knowledge you have, the better equipped you will be to face and resolve the issue if it should manifest again.
Lotsaluv and blessings
x Karen x
