Body Sense

Winter 2012

Issue link: http://www.bodysensemagazinedigital.com/i/99568

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 9 of 16

concert to begin, it is excitement. If you are seated in a dental chair, your mind is going to interpret your physical sensations as signs of fear. "The same process can occur with regard to a bad mood. I am sure you can remember being really tense some morning, feeling completely out of sorts. If someone asked you why, you probably couldn't point to any specific offense as the reason. Throughout the morning, however, little things that would normally go unnoticed now really bothered you. You looked for things that were wrong to confirm that the tension you were feeling was perfectly appropriate for the terrible mood you were in. In essence, you created a viable emotional reason to explain your tense physical state." "I assume that the reverse is also true, correct?" Craig interjected. "A better physical state should have a positive effect on emotions." "Exactly. This might indeed explain what you experience after a massage. You leave my office with a very different physiology than when you arrived. The optimization of muscle function after massage will be experienced as efficient and effortless movement. The muscle tension in your shoulders is drastically reduced. Your breathing is slower and there is a heightened sense of awareness. Think about the emotional correlate your brain must then assign to this new stream of physical information. When do you normally feel such lack of tension, such lightness and freedom?" "When I am extremely relaxed, happy, and contented; when the world seems like a wonderful place," he responded. "The experience of physical ease is then interpreted by the brain as being a sign of emotional ease. Relaxation of the body is also relaxation of the mind, as evidenced by the fact that the same class of drugs (benzodiazepines) given as muscle relaxants is also used in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Furthermore, when you return to work with that emotional framework, it changes what you notice around you as well. Little annoyances don't seem as disturbing. Since attention is selective, your peaceful and positive emotional state predisposes you to notice lots of little blessings that you previously might have overlooked. This process becomes very self-reinforcing." "That is fascinating!" Craig said. "I love the idea that not only do emotions affect the body, but that our physical experiences also influence our emotions. It makes so much sense that one can influence the other. This really deepens my understanding of how the body and mind are integrated. Plus, now I see the value of massage at a whole new level. Far more than just relaxing my body, massage is also having a very positive effect on my emotional well-being." "That's great, Craig. I have to tell you, I really enjoy your challenging and thoughtful questions." "I am glad you do, because I find this subject fascinating. In fact, after each of our previous sessions, that evening I'd share with my wife some cool anatomy fact or principle I learned from you. I even gave each lesson a name." "You're kidding," I said, bemused and curious. "If I might ask, what might you call this one?" "The Anatomy of Happiness," he replied S with a smile. B Douglas Nelson is the founder and principal instructor for Precision Neuromuscular Therapy Seminars and president of the 16-therapist clinic BodyWork Associates in Champaign, Illinois. His clinic, seminars, and research endeavors explore the science behind this work. For more information, visit www.nmtmidwest.com, or email doug@nmtmidwest.com

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Body Sense - Winter 2012