Reclaiming Your Body: How Conditioning Disconnects Us from Our True Self

For many of us, from an early age, we are taught that our bodies are something to be controlled, resisted, or transcended. Messages from religion, society, or family often paint our physical selves as a source of shame or something to overcome. We're told to suppress desires, push through discomfort, and focus solely on mental or spiritual pursuits, often overlooking the body’s wisdom in the process.

This kind of conditioning sets us up to disconnect from our physical selves and live outside of our bodies. We’re taught to “think logically” and avoid the messiness of emotion, but the truth is, our bodies are essential to our experience here on Earth. They are the vessel through which we navigate life.

The Body is Your Earthship

Our bodies are not obstacles to overcome—they are our Earthships. Just like astronauts rely on their spacesuits to survive, we rely on our bodies to thrive. They constantly provide us with feedback—through emotions, sensations, and intuitive signals—guiding us in the right direction. Ignoring these signals or attempting to silence the body is like trying to navigate a spaceship without paying attention to the instruments that are there to guide you.

Why, then, are we often taught to live outside of our bodies, to ignore their wisdom? The pressure to conform to societal ideals—faster, stronger, more productive—leads many to disconnect. We are often told to push through discomfort, silence our emotions, and focus only on external achievements or spiritual aspirations.

But the truth is, we cannot live fully without honoring our bodies. If we didn’t need them for this experience, we wouldn’t have them. The body is the tool we are given to navigate the human experience, and it holds the wisdom we need to align with our truth.

The Escape Routes

Many of us try to escape our bodies in different ways—whether through food, substances, distractions, or mental overthinking. We often seek external sources of validation, whether in religion or spiritual practices, or other forms of group think, believing that answers lie outside of ourselves.

But when we disconnect from the body, we lose access to the very tool that allows us to create meaningful change in our lives. Living in the mind, or living solely in the pursuit of something beyond this physical experience, is disempowering. It keeps us stuck in a cycle of searching for answers that have always been inside of us.

Returning to the Body: The Power in Listening

Here’s how to return to your body and begin to honor the wisdom it holds:

1. Shift Focus: Begin to bring your attention from your mind into your body. Notice the physical sensations it’s giving you.
2. Listen to the Signals: Instead of trying to push discomfort away, sit with it. Ask yourself, “What is this feeling trying to tell me?”
3. Pause Before Decisions: When making decisions, check in with your body. Does it feel expansive or contracted? Trust your body’s guidance.

By honoring your body and listening to its messages, you reconnect with your true self. Your body isn’t just a vessel for experiencing life—it is the very bridge between the physical and spiritual, integrating wisdom from both realms.

Conclusion:

If you’ve been living disconnected from your body, it’s time to shift. Start listening to its signals, trust its wisdom, and make decisions based on how things feel in your body. By doing so, you can begin to create a life aligned with your truth.

Ready to take this journey and reconnect with your body’s wisdom? Join me in the How to Human community and start living the life you’re meant to create.