What Is Your Body Telling You? How to Listen to the Layers Beneath the Surface
Image by Tal Siano
Have you ever felt a “gut-wrenching” sensation in times of stress or found yourself “shouldering” a heavy burden? These common expressions hint at a truth long known by ancient healing traditions and increasingly supported by modern science: our bodies store emotional, mental, and even ancestral experiences in physical ways.
In this post, we’ll dive into the mind-body connection, exploring how emotions, trauma, and even generational experiences can manifest as physical ailments. We’ll also look at how paying attention to these signals can be a powerful step toward healing and connection with yourself.
The Science of Somatic Connection
Somatic connection, a principle of holistic healing and somatic psychology, is the idea that our emotional, mental, and spiritual experiences live within our bodies, shaping our wellbeing. Research shows that unresolved emotions and traumas are stored not just in the brain but within neural and muscle networks throughout the body. Dr. Candace Pert, a pioneering neuroscientist, revealed that emotions are composed of peptides, which attach to receptors throughout the body—not just in the brain—effectively “storing” feelings in physical tissues.
The Body’s Emotional Language
Just as language communicates experiences, our body expresses its internal experiences through sensation. Chronic physical symptoms, especially those unlinked to direct injury or illness, can be manifestations of unresolved emotional experiences. Often, by looking at where we feel tension or discomfort, we can understand underlying emotional needs or healing opportunities.
How Emotions Manifest Physically
The connection between emotions and specific body areas is well-documented in both scientific studies and traditional healing systems like Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda. Here’s how some common emotional experiences might manifest physically:
Anger and the Liver
In TCM, anger is associated with the liver, and studies support this connection, finding that chronic anger and frustration can increase liver inflammation and elevate blood pressure.
Anxiety and the Gut
The gut-brain axis reveals that stress can wreak havoc on digestive health, leading to issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and cramps. It’s no wonder we call intense fear a “gut-wrenching” feeling.
Financial Stress and the Kidneys
The kidneys in TCM are believed to hold fear, especially tied to survival needs. Research shows that chronic financial stress can trigger a persistent “fight or flight” response, impacting the adrenal glands (located atop the kidneys) and, in the long term, leading to kidney-related issues like hypertension.
Ancestral Trauma and the Lower Back
Many people experience chronic lower back pain without any identifiable physical cause. Some researchers suggest that generational or ancestral trauma could be the culprit. Epigenetics, the study of how trauma impacts gene expression, shows that traumatic events experienced by our ancestors can influence gene expressions across generations. This inherited stress can often manifest as physical ailments, particularly in areas like the lower back, which holds tension tied to family and survival stability.
Physical Manifestations of Stored Emotions
Back Pain and Ancestral Trauma
Lower back pain, especially when unrelated to physical injuries, can be linked to deeply ingrained beliefs or traumas passed down through generations. Studies on Holocaust survivors and their descendants, for instance, show that trauma experienced by one generation can alter stress responses and emotional health in subsequent generations. This pain may represent “carrying” burdens of past generations or coping with feelings of insecurity and instability that don’t necessarily belong to us but are imprinted in our cellular memory. Pretty interesting, right?
To work through this, consider body-based therapies like somatic experiencing, which can help release held trauma, or mindfulness techniques to acknowledge and process ancestral memories.
Financial Stress and Kidney Health
Financial struggles are often linked to fear around security, which impacts the kidneys. Modern research supports this connection; prolonged financial stress is shown to increase levels of cortisol and adrenaline, hormones that strain the kidneys and can lead to high blood pressure or kidney dysfunction over time.
If you’re dealing with chronic kidney issues and feeling financially strained, integrating mindful practices, such as breathwork and grounding exercises, can help calm the body’s stress response.
Practices like Reiki or sound healing can further assist in releasing stagnant energy stored in the kidneys, promoting a sense of relief and balance.
Anxiety, Trauma, and the Gut
It’s no coincidence that we feel knots or butterflies in our stomachs in moments of worry or excitement. The gut-brain axis—the biochemical signalling between the gastrointestinal tract and the nervous system—explains why gut health can be so impacted by stress and trauma.
Unresolved anxiety and trauma often manifest as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bloating, or stomach pain. Studies have found that individuals with a history of trauma are more likely to experience digestive issues due to the overactivation of the vagus nerve, which regulates stress responses.
Body-oriented practices, such as meditation and yoga, can strengthen the vagus nerve’s resilience, helping to soothe anxiety and release stored tension in the gut.
Tuning Into Your Body: Practical Steps
Tuning into your body’s messages requires patience, curiosity, and a commitment to self-care. These practical steps can help you cultivate greater body awareness, paving the way for emotional healing and a healthier, more connected life.
Body Scanning and Grounding Exercises
Body scanning is a mindfulness practice that involves mentally “scanning” the body from head to toe, focusing on each area to identify sensations, tension, or pain. Here’s a simple guide to start:
Find a quiet, comfortable space: Sit or lie down in a relaxed position, close your eyes, and take a few deep breaths.
Slowly scan your body: Starting at the top of your head, move your attention down to your face, neck, shoulders, and so on until you reach your toes.
Notice sensations without judgement: Pay attention to any areas of tension, discomfort, or even warmth and tingling. Accept these sensations without trying to “fix” them; simply observe.
Grounding exercises, such as breathing techniques or focusing on your feet touching the floor, can help you feel stable and connected. These practices are especially helpful when intense emotions or memories surface during a body scan.
Journalling for Self-Reflection
Journaling can be an excellent tool for exploring the emotional side of physical sensations. Here’s how you can integrate journaling into your somatic awareness practice:
Set aside time after a body scan: Write about any sensations, emotions, or thoughts that came up. Did specific areas of tension seem connected to recent events, stressors, or emotions?
Explore patterns over time: Regular journaling can help you identify recurring sensations and link them to emotional patterns. Over time, you might find, for instance, that your shoulders tense up whenever you feel overwhelmed, or your lower back aches during periods of financial stress.
By journaling, you begin to develop a personal map of your body’s responses to emotional experiences, creating a foundation for self-awareness and emotional release.
Releasing Stagnant Energy
Certain practices are particularly effective at releasing energy that’s been stored in the body over time:
Reiki: A gentle form of energy healing, Reiki works by channelling energy into the body to help clear blockages and promote relaxation.
Sound Healing: Using vibrations from sound bowls or gongs, sound healing can help release deep-seated emotional tension and reset the nervous system.
Somatic Therapy: Unlike traditional talk therapy, somatic therapy emphasises connecting with physical sensations to release stored trauma. Working with a certified somatic therapist can help you safely access and process deep-seated emotional patterns stored in the body.
These modalities encourage a release of physical and emotional tension and can be effective adjuncts to more conventional therapeutic approaches.
Seeking Support: Where to Find Help on Your Healing Journey
If the journey of tuning into your body feels challenging or overwhelming, you’re not alone. Working with trained professionals can deepen your self-understanding and create a safe space for emotional exploration. Here are some resources to consider:
Somatic Therapists: Certified somatic therapists specialise in helping people connect with their bodies to release trauma. Sessions often involve breathwork, body awareness exercises, and gentle movement.
Holistic Practitioners: Practitioners of holistic healing, like those offering Reiki, sound healing, or energy work, can guide you in moving and releasing stagnant energy stored in the body.
Mind-Body Psychologists: Some psychologists incorporate mind-body techniques like mindfulness, grounding exercises, and breathwork into their practice. These professionals can support you in addressing emotional roots of physical issues, helping you process trauma with a whole-person approach.
Movement and Bodywork Therapists: Modalities like yoga therapy, Qigong, and trauma-informed massage therapy focus on releasing held tension through physical movement and intentional breathwork. These practices can help restore the body’s natural balance and rhythm.
Seeking support from trained professionals provides you with the tools, insights, and compassionate guidance you need to navigate emotional healing in a safe, supportive environment.
Please note: These supportive approaches are not replacements for medical intervention in situations requiring emergency care, or for acute pain or conditions that could cause severe injury, illness, or escalating symptoms. If you’re experiencing significant pain, injury, or illness, it’s essential to seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional or emergency medical services to ensure you receive the care you need.
Embracing a Preventative Approach to Body Awareness
Learning to tune into your body’s messages isn’t just about addressing symptoms as they arise—it’s about nurturing a relationship with yourself that fosters resilience, well-being, and emotional clarity. By building a preventative approach into your daily life, you create a foundation for long-term health that honours both body and mind.
Make Time for Regular Check-Ins With Yourself
Creating space to notice how you feel, even for just a few minutes each day, can be transformative. A quick body scan or mindful breathing exercise helps you reconnect with yourself and tune in to any subtle changes or stress you might be carrying. Over time, these practices can reveal areas where you might be holding tension, allowing you to address emotional or physical strain before it becomes overwhelming.
Move Mindfully and Breathe Deeply
Movement is an essential way for the body to release stored emotions and tension. Practices like yoga, stretching, or even a daily walk allow energy to flow freely, supporting both physical and emotional health. Incorporating intentional breathing exercises, like deep belly breathing, can further stimulate relaxation, helping to keep your nervous system balanced and resilient.
Cultivate Emotional Awareness
Keeping a journal of your thoughts and physical sensations can help you notice recurring themes, patterns, or physical reactions tied to emotional stress. By developing this awareness, you empower yourself to recognise triggers, allowing for a proactive response rather than a reactive one. Journaling is a gentle way to release pent-up emotions, creating space for self-compassion and healing.
Make Rest a Priority
Rest and relaxation are not luxuries—they’re essential components of being healthy. Quality sleep and moments of stillness are when the body repairs itself, processes emotions, and restores balance. Developing an evening routine or practising mindfulness before bed can support restorative sleep, helping you wake up refreshed and emotionally resilient.
Seek Support When Needed
Tuning into your body and practising self-awareness can be powerful, but it doesn’t replace the benefits of support from experienced professionals. Working with holistic practitioners, somatic therapists, or even joining a supportive community can provide the guidance and understanding necessary to deepen your connection with yourself.
Your body is a wise and compassionate ally, always communicating with you about your physical, emotional, and energetic state. By cultivating a regular practice of listening, releasing, and nurturing yourself, you build a foundation for health that’s preventative, holistic, and sustainable. Embracing your body’s messages is not just a tool for healing but a journey of deeper self-connection and well-being.
So take it one step at a time, honouring each sensation, emotion, and insight along the way. With patience and care, you can create a life that feels balanced, connected, and attuned to the wisdom within.
