Have you ever thought that your body has something to say? When you hurt yourself or get sick, you most definitely have an opinion about that! But there's always a deeper message as well. Learn how to access that deeper message, and you're on your way to finding deep and lasting healing, increased awareness and personal growth, and ultimately, more peace in your life.

Most of the time when we have pain or any sort of diseases (such as irritable bowel, chronic fatigue, or migraines), we tend to look toward treatments that are aimed at symptoms and reducing or eliminating those symptoms. However, reducing symptoms is not the same thing as being disease-free.

Ultimately, to have really true and lasting healing, we need to go much deeper and find the underlying cause that has created these physical symptoms.

When we experience physical symptoms of any kind, they are not the actual source of whatever it is that's going on.

Here's an example of the symptoms being separate from the cause. Let's say you have neck pain. It could be because there's something wrong in the neck. But it could also be because of an imbalance somewhere else in the spine, like at the low back or the pelvis. It could even be coming from a problem with your knee or foot.

On a deeper level, if you have this neck pain, the physical symptoms are simply a manifestation of the thoughts and the beliefs and the emotions that are deeper that are trying to surface and create and come forth into your reality. 

Physical symptoms are simply your body's way of telling you that things are out of balance and need attention.

Think of it this way. When the leaves of a maple tree turn color in the fall, what does that mean? That color change is a symptom of a deeper, underlying change that is happening within the tree itself.

I have an exercise for you to help you access those underlying thoughts and emotions tied into the physical pains that you have. Because it's not always obvious why you have this symptoms that you do. In fact, it's almost never obvious to us. That's why a regular meditative practice of some sort is so essential for your growth, too. The more you learn to tune in to yourself, the greater your understanding will be. 

Step 1: Get out paper and pen and find a quiet spot

You're going to be listening to your body and talking with it, so you want a spot free of distractions. If you're not used to this type of activity, and you try it where there's noise, you'll just be disappointed when you don't get anything.

Writing is important for this, too. First, you're going to be making a list of things, and you'll want to go back to it at a later date. The last time that I went through this exercise for myself, I had a list of eight things that I wanted to ask my body about and talk to my body about. So get a journal or notebook.

Second, it's much more effective for you to actually write than to just think about it or even than typing on your computer or phone. Writing helps integrate our body and mind, and allows for deeper communication.

Step 2: Make a list of each physical pain or symptom.

You're going to make a list of every single pain that you have or aspect of being unhealthy that you're dealing with in your physical body.

You can write out physical pain but also any other sort of imbalances that you have in your body and include any chronic diseases if you have any of those as well. If you have irritable bowel or cancer or chronic fatigue, migraines, depression, bipolar, diabetes, high blood pressure, even.

Anything that you're experiencing physically where your body is not in perfect health and well being.

Last time I did this, this is what my list looked like:

1. proximal anterior right thigh - tight and painful
2. left lateral thigh and patellar tendon
3. left shoulder - tight and limited reaching behind my back
4. left sacroiliac area - feels stuck
5. right cervical spine (neck)
6. eyesight - astigmatism and nearsightedness
7. clenching teeth while sleeping
8. right anterior ribs (5th and 6th) - quite painful and tender

(You can tell I used to be in the medical field - I still talk that way for myself!)

Step 3: Ask your body questions & talk with it

For each item on your list, talk to your body. What do you want to say to that area? What do you want to know? What comes up to your mind as you think about each one?

Here's an example from my list:

1. proximal anterior right thigh - tight and painful: Why are you so tight? Why do you have to hurt so much? Why can't you loosen up/just let go?
   
2. right cervical spine (neck): Why are you still stiff and sore after all these years? Why can't you just go away?
   

Continue through this process for each physical symptom or area that you're having troubles with. Write out the first thing and then ask yourself the questions that you want to ask. Write whatever comes to mind.

Notice how you feel and what emotions might come up as you go through the process. Finish this listing for however many you come up with. It might be one or it might be 15. It doesn't matter. Go through your entire list.

Step 4: Look for patterns

When you get done, review everything you've written and look for patterns. See if you can find some sort of repetitive message, idea or theme that permeates all of these areas. Or perhaps a particular emotion keeps surfacing.

When I did mine last time and got through it all, there was a common theme of resistance. I wasn't allowing things to happen. I was resisting a lot of things. (Anyone relate to that?)