Don’t be a slave to your mind, let your mind be the servant of your heart

Hello rainbow tribe, it’s my birthday month, and I wanted to write about joy being an inside job. And then, because I am a Gemini, I wanted to also write about the concept of time.

Then I started to feel like a dandelion seed floating away and thought, actually, even though those are both fascinating ideas, I am going to talk about somatic work…because I for one need to stay in my body.

I am willing to bet, many of you do too.

We are so top heavy! I mean our heads are literally pretty heavy to be balanced on our slender necks, but with correct posture that is not really an issue.

The issue comes in with us being so obsessed with thinking, with developing our intellect, putting all of our eggs in the metaphorical basket of academia, learning for our IQ, reasoning and logic.

Please don’t get me wrong, these things are not bad, they are wonderful, one of my obsessions is learning new things.

But when we focus on the mind at the expense of the other parts, that is when shit goes wrong.

Let your mind serve your heart

"Don't be a slave to your mind; let your mind be the servant of your heart."

If we become slaves to our minds – which most of us are to some degree – we live in a self-made prison.

Your mind is remarkable, and it loves what it knows. It's very data-driven. When it has data (good or bad, happy or sad), it will always feel more satisfied sticking with what's familiar than venturing into terrifying, untested theories.

So, if you have been living with the belief that you are not enough, and you feel sad, scared and depressed more often than not, and have done for years…

your brain will help you to stay there.

"Pattern recognition, repetition – these are the ways I keep you safe," your brain insists. But what if the pattern is toxic? What then?!

This is precisely why being a pattern-breaker is not the easy or obvious choice.

I love my brain, and I'm sure you love yours, but I no longer want to be enslaved by it. Thoughts are often not true, even if they feel true simply because they are familiar.

Like some of my favorite not-so-merry-go-rounds:

• "There is not enough time."

• "I am only a good person if I make everyone happy."

Now that I think about it, I realise I have a lot fewer of these than I used to…an epiphany as my fingers hurtle across the keyboard!

After years of being stuck on the not-so-merry-go-rounds of my old storylines, they honestly don't feel that true for me anymore.

I guess I'm seeing in real time how much this work truly works, lol.

Leading with the heart

I'm not going to stand here on my soapbox and pretend to have it all together; life isn't like that. There will always be another challenge, another trigger, another moment to heal.

I feel so much calmer knowing that challenges are normal and inevitable. I'm learning not to constantly be on eggshells waiting for them, but rather to face them when they arrive.

I'm realising that if I lead with my heart, and not my head, I am a much calmer, truly kinder person. Not just kind because I'm trying to please you or be a "good person.

"I am a good person, so I don't need to try.

And that sometimes means I have to say no.

My heart has guided me to do things that my head rages against,

like ending fundamental relationships.

When I am in my head I find myself ‘shoulding’ myself.

• You should try to repair the relationship

• You should be more understanding no matter how badly you are treated

• Family should come first, even if they are toxic

• You should try harder, be better, what is wrong with you?!

Do you should yourself?

I have found that the voice of my heart speaks differently,

she doesn’t ‘should’ me.

"Hey honey, I know it really hurts right now. It hurts because you care.

This relationship was important to you. But sometimes what is best is to know when to let go.

The sooner you do, the sooner your heart can begin to heal.

Yes, I know some people will judge you, but you know in your heart how much you tried, no matter what anyone says.

I know, I am your heart, I love you, and you did your best. Staying now is abusing yourself and you are worth so much more my love."

Just saying, my heart makes me cry with her kindness and compassion, she is so sweet.

My head often makes me contract like a frightened child, rather than a caring parent like my heart.

Now that my heart is mostly running the show, she has begun to give my brain errands to run for her.

This keeps my mind out of mischief and old stories.

The body is the key

I have been practicing and teaching yoga for more than 20 years now and my journey with this ancient and sacred practice has been ever evolving.

Since before I knew what yoga was, I wanted to learn and teach it.

Then it seemed weird but now it feels obvious to me that I have done yoga for lifetimes.

When I started it was in the ‘safe’ more mainstream Hatha yoga style.

But as my practice developed, and as I continued to study and do oh so much inner work (this is ongoing), I went into Vinyasa which is more flow yoga.

Then 13 years ago now, when pregnant with my 3rd baby I found Kundalini, which is more linked to energy science, sacred geometry and brings in chanting and more I super charged my practice and then my teaching with this amazing style.

I studied it while pregnant with my daughter, both things had

me really IN my body.

But it is only in the last few years that somatic yoga has been a growing part of my practice.

Soma is a Greek word meaning body.

All these years of learning, and in some ways somatic yoga feels like unlearning.

What a teacher the body is, when we get out of our heads and our training and just listen to what our body has to say.

Now don’t get me wrong, the training is important.

Understanding our body from an anatomical and physiological perspective is never a bad thing.

Understanding safe alignments and adaptations to poses when needed are all good.

But if you have developed a healthy dialogue with your body

(and this does not happen overnight)

and s/he trusts you, and you listen to what your body likes and doesn’t, needs and wants, well your body is unlikely to lead you astray.

If you are not confident about trying this alone it is a good idea to start with a guide.

I have an online Zoom class every Monday at 17:30.

But as you develop the relationship with your body and break out of your silence you will find this such a freeing practice.

The five channels of somatic work, which is not limited solely to somatic yoga are; emotions, sensations, posture, imagination and the mind.

Somatic work is such a powerful tool to find stuck trauma in your body and let it go.

Sometimes these releases are big and obvious, but often they are subtle yet profound as they unfold.

Synopsis: It's Magic, But Not Easy

This work is largely about regulating our nervous systems, which are largely dysregulated.

As we do this, through our bodies, we begin to calm our minds that are reacting wildly to keep us ‘safe’ in the familiar danger…

better the devil you know.

As we calm our minds, we begin to hear our sweet and gentle hearts.

It’s magic.

It is so simple, but it is far from easy.

It will take time and consistency, your body needs to learn to trust you, before it tells you, its secrets.

After a class you will feel what I mean, but to break the patterns, it is not a one and done kind of thing.

I would love to hear from you if you have experienced a somatic type practice.

I would love to know if your brain is running the show or your heart is.

I would love to be your guide if my voice and my work speaks to your heart.