The age of technology that we’re living in these days is astounding. The number of self-help apps and devices that are available is growing every day. If you consider the development of the smart phone, it offers us a plethora of functionality in addition to being a phone. You have a camera, a timer, an alarm, a calendar, text messaging, a magnifier, spell checker, and the list goes on and on. We’re depending more and more on the phones we carry around for basic functions in life.
It’s the same when you look at various devices like smart watches or rings or bands that can monitor the quality of your sleep or heart rate. Some are even able to test your heart with an EMG and they’re able to tell you if you’re having arrhythmia or a heart attack.
Many of these devices are able to help guide you through your day, reminding you when to stand up and move, or breathe, or take a break. The old adage of “if you don’t use it, you lose it” comes to mind when I consider our growing dependence on external devices.
I think with the advent of these kinds of devices and apps, we are being given an opportunity culturally to make a subconscious value judgement. And that value judgement is this: Which do you value more? The external thing that is taking your attention away from yourself or you being present in your body? Is the work that important that you cut yourself off from everything else?
The truth is that we are most effective at whatever we’re doing in the moment (being a parent, working on a task at work) when we’re present with our body. When we’re present with our bodies, we have brain integration, where both sides of the brain are working together. Yes, you heard it right, not being present in your body is like having only half a brain.
Now you may be thinking of people that you know saying ‘ah, that explains it’ but all joking aside, we’re smarter and more capable when we’re present with our bodies.
What does being present with your body mean?
You can feel yourself breathing, you can check in and see that you’re holding your breath or holding your body in tension. You can notice the effect that your thoughts have, either ramping your body up, or creating ease in your structure.
All of this information and more is key for you being able to increase your healing and capacity for life. This is why most of the techniques that we use in the clinic are ‘gentle’ and ’subtle’. Your nervous system can learn to pay better attention to your body if it can pick up on ‘gentle’ and ’subtle’ cues. You can become more present in your body and have greater capacity for living life!