Evolving Magazine
A Guide for Conscious Living since 2009
FEATURE
Want to Chill Out?
10 ways to start listening to your physical self
Excerpted from THE ART OF CHILLING OUT FOR WOMEN by Angela D. Coleman. Copyright © 2023 by Angela D. Coleman. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.
An important part of “chilling out” is getting in touch with your “body barometers.” Although your body speaks to you all the time, you are probably ignoring it. But it is critical that you listen to what it is telling you. When you are in tune with your body, you can sense that something is wrong well ahead of a medical diagnosis or even before you experience a physical illness. Chilling out and staying in balance begins with your body.
Body Barometers
How you respond to situations is rooted deep in your personal history. These are your body barometers. Fight or flight. It’s our survival mechanism. When you are triggered by something, your nervous system goes into overdrive. The stress hormones (cortisol, adrenaline, epinephrine, and norepinephrine) are all activated to help your body power through stressful situations. But if you are “on” all the time, trapped in a constant state of heightened awareness and stress, you can physically suffer. It can be a lonely and exhausting experience.
What happens to your body in this state? You might perspire and even feel nauseous. Stress headaches are common, as are stomachaches because your digestion can also be affected. But hold on. Breathe and chill for a few… You don’t have to fight anyone or go anywhere.
To understand your body barometers, learn what your body does under distress and why it does it. Your physical response is not a bad thing. It’s your body’s awesome and amazing way of protecting you by alerting you that something is wrong.
As women, we own our bodies. No one else is entitled to control your body—only you, because it’s yours. Respect... Your body doesn’t lie, even when your mind may overthink the situation. In fact, your mind can talk you out of what your body already experiences and intuitively knows.
Your body knows that, for whatever reason, you are not where you are supposed to be, you are not doing what you are supposed to be doing. Your body can also let you know when things are great. It can tell you when you are with wonderful company and experiencing bliss. Vibrating with excitement or trembling in fear are ways your body speaks to you. Are you paying attention?
To get in touch with your body, the following affirmations, calls-to-action, and use of herbs, gemstones, and feng shui are a great way to start:
Body Awareness Affirmations
1. I am aware of what I am feeling in my body and how it responds to what is going on around me.
2. I release all worries, distress, and frustrations, watching them drift up and away, out of my body, into droplets that disperse and disappear into the Universe.
Calls-to-Action
1.Take notes and notice how your body speaks to you when you are stressed.
2. Increase self-awareness by doing a daily body check-in to see how you feel.
Mother Nature
1. Use allspice for self-awareness, emotional healing, and luck; lemon balm for physical restoration; and bay leaves for spiritual enhancement and protection.
2. Use green tea for physical body regulation; sage for spiritual purification and new positive beginnings; and juniper berries for releasing negativity.
Gemstones
1. Activate these gemstones: bloodstone for physical strength; amethyst for fortification and spiritual awareness; and hematite for physical healing.
2. Activate these gemstones: bloodstone for strengthening the body; selenite for dispelling negative energy; and jade for wisdom, peace, heart energy, and harmony.
Feng Shui
1. For optimal feng shui balance and harmony: Clear all clutter; add wood elements like plants and flowers, plus earth colors yellow and orange for self-care, inspiration, and vitality; add white, pink, and red candles of the fire element for awareness, self-love, and energy.
2. For optimal feng shui balance and harmony: Use earth colors yellow, orange, and tan to ground yourself; add more earth elements like potted plants for self-care and boundaries.
When you pay attention to your body barometers, you will soothe yourself and experience greater energy and health. Give yourself permission to chill out and stop trying to be Superwoman. Self-care, peace, and relaxation are within your reach.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Angela D. Coleman, author of THE ART OF CHILLING OUT FOR WOMEN, is a holistic health expert who founded the global nonprofit Sisterhood Agenda in 1994 and later the for-profit business, Sisterhood Agenda Enterprises, LLC. For more information, visit: http://www.angeladcoleman.com.