hi friends! I hope you’re all well - enjoying a rainy day at a Houndstooth coffee shop here in Dallas. there are a few of these coffee shops around Dallas but this location is my favorite - exposed brick walls, big community tables, covered outside seating. the coffee is good. it’s perfect.
this post is inspired by an IG story I posted the other day where I described the experience of “low energy” being an opportunity to check-in. we can check-in with ourselves in a couple of ways - noticing what we notice about what’s going on in our “heads” and/or in the “body”. all is one, though we can observe each phenomena separately to get a clear picture of the whole.
enjoy!
entry points
when working towards greater wellbeing, vitality, etc., there are a multitude of “entry points” that we can choose to bring our attention to. our awareness of various sensations, thoughts, dramas, beliefs, discomforts, emotions, etc. are inherently neutral bits of information about “things” that we desire or need at various “levels” of our being.
I use the word “neutral” because all of those things are, from an observers point-of-view, just that.
it is the meaning we make of them that subsequently gives them a charge.
when we are able to step back and witness the comings and goings of pain, discomfort, emotions, thoughts, etc., from a place of curiosity and neutrality, we can start to work with them constructively to move towards what we want to experience in our bodies, life, and beyond.
as a practice we can start to notice what we notice at the various experiences; each can actually act as an entry point into moving towards greater integrity, fulfilling a specific need, etc. it is in our ability to NOTICE that gives us the space to do our work.
as Ram Dass says, “I see my life as an unfolding set of opportunities to awaken”.
and so it (each experience) is.
I like to keep this concept simple.
there are TWO primary entry points that give us access about where our work may lie - the “top” and the “bottom”.
the “top” is a general term that describes the mind and all of its happenings. I would include emotions, beliefs, identities, etc. under this. the quality of mind or stream of consciousness that we may have can give us insight into our conflictual patterns, things that need our attention, or places of “leaking” energy. on the flip side, it can tell us what we are at ease about or enjoying.
the “bottom” is a general term that describes the body and all of its happenings. I would include pain, discomfort, “symptoms”, etc. here. the experiences we have with our body can give us insight into the underlying physiological processes - adaptation + restoration - that may be going on as a result of conflictual experiences, living in or out of alignment, etc.
now of course our experience isn’t so black and white and I don’t orient myself in that way. but for the sake of a substack post // for a beginner, it’s helpful to keep it simple. and of course, the two ARE inherently connected and inseparable. we are all of one spirit-psyche-brain-organ (in GNM lingo) beings.
there are a multitude of structures, nuances, cross-overs and beyond that make up our experience. so hold that interconnected image as we talk through this post.
the practice of noticing or observing is foundational. are you able witness your thoughts, emotions, discomforts, symptoms, etc. without judging, assigning moral value, placing meaning, and/or blaming them? can you see them from a neutral place? that “skill” is a lifelong worthy journey in-and-of itself. and of course, your ability to do so gives you information about yourself.
if you’re unsure of what I mean, notice your breath in this moment. what’s its quality? how deep or shallow are you breathing? how long are your inhales and exhales? is it smooth or do you notice hitches? is it forced or natural?
great - you’ve just practiced “noticing”! you can do the same with the mind and with the body. like a muscle, your noticing skills can grow and expand. it’s important to remember that this is INNATE. we are all born with the capacity to be aware and observant - it’s already there within you, no purchase necessary.
the juice of this post will be in some contemplations down below. sit with them, get the journal out, and explore.
some contemplations for entry:
things that we can notice from the top: