Go With Your Gut
December 13, 2022
Through yoga, we learn a new language through somatic symbols. These symbols show us what stories we still hold onto in our nervous system. Each organ, muscle group, fiber, and tissue represents a chapter in the book of your life-body. How often we experience recurring pain, discomfort, or stress in the body is simply a matter of how much we refuse to look at the discomfort within our minds.
Several studies have shown that most physical illnesses and diseases are directly linked to the gut-brain, or the Vagus Nerve. The Vagus Nerve is the longest cranial nerve that runs from the brainstem all the way down to the abdomen, branching into several different organs. I like to think of this nerve as the trunk to the tree whose roots system keeps everything from our neurotransmitters to our organs functioning properly.
Whenever you notice something is off in your gut, trace it back to your state of mind. There is almost always a link there. For example, I have found that when I am overwhelmed with thoughts, I have a tendency to eat past fullness. I have thus come to the realization that my bad habit happens when I choose to eat while in a state of stress. With this awareness, I have learned to be more mindful when I go to grab a snack out of stress, rather than hunger.
Attempting to understand the body’s natural cycles and rhythms where artificial EVERYTHING surrounds us is a difficult feat, to say the least. With all the refined sugars, processed foods, fast food restaurants, and grocery delivery services, we are becoming the laziest generation in the world — wreaking havoc on our bodies. Our quick-fix culture isn’t doing us any favors either. The good news is, we can take steps to learn to live as our ancestors did — organically. We do this by going with our gut.
The gut feeling we get when we feel like we shouldn’t be doing something, eating something, or going somewhere is a soft, yet strong whisper that we must learn to listen to. It is our true nature signaling to us that we are choosing imbalance and over-consumption.
One of my favorite pieces of literature that sheds light on how to attune to the gut is The Fifth Agreement by Don Miguel and Don Jose Ruiz. Precursor: Read the prequel, the Four Agreements first as it is a mentally nutritious piece of literature. The main message of The Fifth Agreement is to BE SKEPTICAL, BUT LEARN TO LISTEN. With all of the information overload from media and other minds, it can be difficult to tune into our truth and trust our body. This alone causes separation between the two most powerful forces in nature - our mind and body.
When the mind and body are not working together it causes disharmony. This can manifest in several ways, from fatigue and indigestion to full-blown disease. If we know that at each moment of every day our brain is processing billions of bits of information, it is no wonder that many people are speaking up about their inability to digest it all and trust themselves.
At some point, if we don’t stop to make more simple choices, our bodies and our planet are going to develop severe problems. The Ruiz’s wisely state that “ humans are an organ of the beautiful planet on Earth. Planet Earth is alive. It is a living being, and the entire humanity works for the planet as an organ of that living being. The forests are another organ, the atmosphere another organ — every species another organ — all working together to create the equilibrium that is the planet's metabolism.”
“All of humanity is one living being. We have the same kind of body, we have the same kind of mind, and we have the same kind of needs. What we need is to create all of these symbols to understand one another.”
There will be times when you are experiencing a shift in your energy, consciously or not. The mind, busy as it is, will likely feel a lull because the body is working to send you signals. If, for example, you have a day or two where you feel like eliminating a particular food category (ie. meat) from your diet or are feeling less hungry than usual, it is important to adhere to these changes. more likely than not, they signal that you are being called into higher consciousness.
A tip for natural gut cleansing comes from something I learned living on a fruit farm in Costa Rica — papaya seeds. Papaya seeds contain a variety of essential micronutrients. They're especially high in polyphenols and flavonoids, two compounds that act as antioxidants to help promote your health. I recommend blending them in your smoothie to eliminate the tangy taste.
You have the power to take back what your mind once believed would protect your body, thus keeping you in pain. The beautiful thing about the mind is that it can be reprogrammed. We are fortunate enough to have a memory, which we can use in one of two ways. We can either use the memory to remember all of the bad things that have happened, which keeps pain trapped in the body. Or we can use our memory to remember all of the good things and have gratitude for our bodies.
When you nourish the mind with positive thoughts, conscious content, uplifting company, and culture, the gut, the cropland of the earth will produce a healthy harvest. You can eliminate bloating and discomfort by replacing processed information with natural, positive beliefs. By breaking unhealthy habits, we will start to trim away unnecessary fat and become a stronger, slimmer, and more organized organism.
Let go of the GMO’s and the greed, and watch the world grow.
May You Be Safe.
May You Be Happy.
May You Be Healthy.
May You Be at Ease.
Prayer of the Day: Dear Divine One, may I have the proper resources to nourish my body and mind as a sustainable solution for inner and outer world peace. Aum. Peace. Amen.
