Harnessing body wisdom

Our bodies hold an incredible amount of information. We miss out on that valuable information when we keep reverting to reliance on our brain, on our rationality. A missed opportunity!

As Einstein said: “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.”

Systemic leadership harnesses the wisdom of the body. When you are willing to allow it and are able to read it, you can discover unique information. Not only within yourself, but also within another person. Where does the movement flow and where does it stop? Does a situation or change cause tension or relaxation? Huge potential is released when you recognise such situations.

Harnessing your body wisdom is not a matter of slavishly following your feelings. It is not a licence to let your emotions run wild and hide behind them. ‘It (did not) feel(s) right’ is not what this skill is about. It is extra information that brings new possibilities when you know how to handle this skill.

This certainly requires practise. First and foremost, to be able to read your body. To listen to what your body is saying. To know what your state of being is. How do you experience a meeting yourself? What happens within you when you are very much on or off? When you are in connection with your body, you know what your normal state of being is and when you really feel something different. And with that, you can start taking your body wisdom seriously.

It is not just about recognising the body’s response, it is also about interpreting it. You have to learn that calibration. With practice, your physical sensation becomes a reliable navigation system – giving the body a signalling function, not a signpost function.

When you are able to allow your body awareness and that of those around you, you will find that a huge amount of non-rational and non-linear potential becomes available. People feel heard and seen with their own feelings. It provides enormous amounts of relaxation and connection when you can work with each other on this layer.