Question:
In The Happiness Prescription, you say "listen to your body." I understand that by doing this it enables you in important decision making and such. I tend to think negatively at times, completely out of fear, which of course produces bodily signals and symptoms. How do you know what signs to really listen to, how do you know if they are real and trying to tell you something or if they are just from fear? And thank you for continuing to inspire me every day!
Answer:
Listening to the guidance that is available through your body’s intelligence is a valuable tool for decision making. However, if your question isn’t presented to your body in a neutral state, where there is preexisting fear and negativity, then your response will be distorted and confused.
In those situations, it is necessary to first clear and release the fear and negativity. To do that you can do some deep breathing into the area of the body that is holding those feelings. Physical exercise can also be effective for many people as well. Once you have addressed those feelings and are in a state of balance and ease you can then listen to your body for guidance.
Love,
Deepak
About Deepak Chopra
Time Magazine heralded Deepak Chopra as one of the 100 heroes and icons of the century, and credited him as "the poet-prophet of alternative medicine." Entertainment Weekly described Deepak Chopra as "Hollywood's man of the moment, one of publishing's best-selling and most prolific self-help authors." He is the author of more than 50 books and more than 100 audio, video and CD-Rom titles. He has been published on every continent and in dozens of languages. Fifteen of his books have landed on the New York Times Best-seller list. Toastmaster International recognized him as one of the top five outstanding speakers in the world. Through his over two decades of work since leaving his medical practice, Deepak continues to revolutionize common wisdom about the crucial connection between body, mind, spirit, and healing. His mission of "bridging the technological miracles of the west with the wisdom of the east" remains his thrust and provides the basis for his recognition as one of India's historically greatest ambassadors to the west. Chopra has been a keynote speaker at several academic institutions including Harvard Medical School, Harvard Business School, Harvard Divinity School, Kellogg School of Management, Stanford Business School and Wharton.His latest book is
"Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul."
There's a wonderful process called Focusing, developed by Eugene Gendlin, that teaches how to become aware of the body's "felt sense" of a situation. I find Focusing incredibly valuable as a way of accessing inner guidance.
me too Diana!
Thanks for the post.
beautiful explanation, it comes to me through my own instincts though.
Wish you love, peace and happiness.
Trisha
Dear DC:
I just finished meditating, RPMing and listening to my body. I am so grateful to be alive. I am so grateful to have opened my mind after unsuccessful attempts to cure my dis-ease as diagnosed in 1980 through UCLA. For years, doctors and I tried the array of conventional protocols, radical surgeries, IL2, BCG with melanoma antingens, chemotheraphy, radiation, etc.,. The root of the melanoma and the ensuing metastasis throughout the decades continued to manifest until I gave full power to listening to my body, and ultimately allow myself to be guided by my spirit. The power of spirit has no words, yet, I feel like I walk on air each and every day. I have been cancer free for
ten years – I am what the doctors call spontaneous remission. How could this be? I had the last rights? I prepared for death and found full health. Thank you Deepak for sharing the gift of Quantum Healing. It changed my perspective though it took decades for my body to re-pattern itself. Thanks to my deep Faith and Willingness to listen to the power of my spirit. I am Free! I listen and honor my body with child like appreciation and curiosity.
Om Daksham Namah, Though I recognize my physical challenges as determined through Western medicine. I am free from dis-ease. I am gifted the opportunity to be on your teachers path to encourage others in my community and the world to listen to their body, to free themselves from listening only to scientific studies, and continuing patterns of behavior that fuel their discomfort or pain. I am an example of this unity experience and am grateful for your guidance and wisdom that has in part navigated me back to the power of my spirit. I am grateful to my body, thanking it each and every day, I am in awe of my spirit and my ability to listen more carefully to it and to allow my choices to be guided by the messages of my body as well as my spirit. I am grateful to your dedication to restoring well being and am ever so grateful to your colleagues, Dr. David Simon, davidji, and Claire E. Diab for aligning themselves to your work.
A soon to be Chopra Certified Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga Practitioner,
Deepest Respect,
deborahshemesh
http://www.deborahshemesh.com
Dear All,
A very relevant question and a precise answer from Deepak.
Thanks a lot Deepak, you have answered this question for many of us here including myself.
Love Light and Oneness
Rajesh Kapoor
(Satchitanand)