By Shawn McAndrew
“What the mind suppresses, the body expresses.”
Ever hear this quote? It is one of the foundational ideologies of the Hoffman Process – why we react the way we do to certain things often starts with what we’ve witnessed and absorbed through our body’s senses. We might have witnessed traumatic, painful, and startling things in our childhoods. These cause anxiety, loss of trust, and other feelings and ways of being that are associated with the Negative Love Syndrome.
Body Expressions
The body is a magnificent creature. Scientists and doctors may never know the full scope of what a body can do, nor how it works. Most especially, we may never understand how the body and mind work in conjunction with each other. Why do thoughts and feelings affect the body, and vice versa? One thing we do know, patterns are part of this equation.
Our thoughts and feelings are capable of transmitting themselves into actions. We may be feeling sad or dejected. We may self-medicate with alcohol or drugs to escape these feelings, which has a negative effect on the body. Alcohol may temporarily distract from the feeling of sadness, but it does not solve the problem. It often creates a greater negative impact.
How Body Expressions Show Up
Patterned thoughts and feelings in and of themselves also take a toll. You may relate to this by thinking about the last time you had a fight or negative interaction with someone. You may get stuck in a spin cycle about what you think of the other person. Maybe you think how you’d like to even the score or write off that person. The mind conversation sometimes ramps up to the point that it begins to take on a life of its own in the body. Heartburn, anxiety, racing pulse, anger, substance abuse – these are all ways the body reacts to these spin cycles on the Left Road.
If we were to choose to get on our Right Road, what actions could we take? Connecting with Spirit, asking questions, being accountable and honest about what we are feeling and thinking, recognizing the Dark Side messages, being responsible for our actions – these are all Right Road responses and actions. It is where we, our present-day adult self – not our childhood programming – are taking responsibility for moving through life.
The Body Endures
When I think about my body and how much it has endured over the years – both good and bad – I am amazed at how it is still going. I get up in the mornings and move through my days. All the body functions are active. I’ve had physical and emotional injuries, yet my body is still chugging along. As I get older, I anticipate and know that I will slow down, not be as active as I was when I was a child. I don’t burn calories as fast as I did when I ran the neighborhood morning, noon, and night as an overactive kid.
But I’m still going. And that, some days, is a miracle. When I’m able to recognize those spin cycles and overindulgence of negative feelings, I must switch gears. I have to stop living in the negative, Dark Side messages and move to a Spirit-focused state. Our body is our one vessel to get us through this life. Without it, we got nothing.
Cherie Joyce
08/09/21 at 3:45 PM
I needed to hear this today. It’s so easy to fall back into old patterns.
Shawn
08/10/21 at 11:35 AM
Thanks, Cherie. Yes, it’s easy to fall into old patterns, especially in these times. And we have an opportunity to be gentle and compassionate with ourselves. Celebrate our wins and hold our fall-backs as sacred lessons.
Gary Shunk
08/09/21 at 8:46 AM
Shawn, Thank you for this great reminder! Gary
Shawn
08/09/21 at 1:43 PM
You’re welcome, Gary!