“What Does My Body Need Today?”

Movement, Stillness & the Wisdom of Opposites

A Note Before You Listen…

This week’s Simply BE features an original Tap In video from July 2022. And this one has been especially interesting for me to revisit. The heart of what I was teaching back then hasn’t really changed; opposites create balance. Sometimes we need movement. Sometimes we need stillness. Sometimes effort. Sometimes ease. Sometimes we need to get up and get going…and sometimes we need to slow down and rest.

But what has changed over these past four years is the way I understand and teach this wisdom. I’ve learned to listen more. Rather than immediately asking, “What should I do to fix this?” I ask; “What am I experiencing?” and “What is my body asking for?”

I’ve chosen to leave the original Tap In as it was recorded because I love being able to look back and see how teachings evolve as we live them.  The wisdom was there. My relationship with it has simply deepened. I hope you enjoy revisiting this one with me…

Balance Isn’t Always About Doing More

We live in a world that often celebrates doing.

• Do more.
• Push harder.
• Be productive.
• Get the workout in.
• Keep going.

But what if the thing that would bring you into balance today isn’t more? What if it’s less?

Or… what if the opposite is true?

Maybe you have been sitting too much. Feeling heavy. Stuck. Unmotivated. And what your body really does need is movement, fresh air, music, or a walk around the block.

This is one of the things I love about Ayurveda. There isn’t one answer that works for everyone, every day.

Because balance changes depending on what we’re experiencing, in the moment.

The Wisdom of Opposites

One of Ayurveda’s beautifully simple principles is: Opposites create balance.

Think in the simplest of terms… When you’re hot, you naturally seek something cooling. When you’re cold, you seek warmth. When you’re tired, you rest.

When you’ve been still too long, the body begins asking you to move – but are you listening to it?

The same principle can help us look at our everyday lives.

For example…too much;

• Movement → you may need stillness.
• Stillness → you may need movement.
• Structure → you may need freedom.
• Busyness → you may need rest.
• Seriousness → you may need play.
• Effort → you may need ease.
• Speed → you may need to slow down.

Neither side is good or bad. The question is simply… “What would create balance for me today?”

Movement Can Be Medicine

Movement is one of the most powerful ways we can support our physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

But movement doesn’t always have to mean a workout. It might mean…

• Going for a walk.
• Stretching.
• Dancing in your kitchen.
• Practicing yoga.
• Strength training.
• Getting outside.
• Shaking your body.
• Taking a few deep breaths and moving your arms.
• Or simply standing up after you’ve been sitting for too long.

In the original Tap In, I talked about how even a few minutes of movement can help bring us out of our thoughts and back into our body.

I still love that – but I would add something today:

Sometimes stillness is medicine too…

• So is rest.
• So is slowing down.
• So is lying on the floor and breathing.
• So is taking a quiet walk instead of pushing through another hard workout.

The wisdom isn’t simply knowing that movement is good for us. The wisdom is learning what kind of movement – or stillness – your body needs.

Awareness Comes First

This may be the biggest way my understanding has evolved. Before we decide what, we need… we have to listen.

Instead of automatically reaching for what you usually do, pause for a moment and check in.

• How does your body feel?
• How does your mind feel?
• What is your energy like?
• Are you feeling scattered?
• Heavy?
• Overstimulated?
• Exhausted?
• Restless?
• Strong?
• Energized?

And then ask… “What might bring me toward balance?”

Maybe you need to move. Maybe you need to rest. Maybe you need strength. Maybe you need softness. Maybe you need music and laughter. Maybe you need silence.

You won’t always get the answer “right” and that’s okay.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about relationship.

The more you listen to your body, the more you begin learning its language.

This Week’s Invitation

Before choosing your movement this week, take a moment to check in.

Ask yourself: “What does my body need today?”

Then experiment.

• If you’ve been sitting all day, perhaps get outside and move.
• If you’ve been rushing from one thing to another, perhaps slow down.
• If you’re feeling heavy or stuck, perhaps put on some music and get your energy moving.
• If you’ve been pushing hard, perhaps give yourself permission to rest.

And afterwards… notice how you feel.

That’s where the learning happens.

Not from a rule.

Not from someone else telling you what your body should need – but from developing a deeper relationship with the body you live in every single day.

Balance isn’t something you achieve once and then hold onto. It’s a conversation you’re having with yourself all the time.

Listen. Respond. Adjust…and then listen again.

Stay curious. Stay open and… Simply BE.

Namaste my friends;
Leslie 🙏🩵