The spirit is willing, but the flesh is wise. *
Our body seems to be the smartest thing we have. It remembers more precisely than we could ever consciously manage, it perceives more subtly, it feels and moves more precisely. When important emotions, sensations or perceptions do not make it into our field of perception, i.e. when they are ‘split off’, the body takes over their ‘legal representation’. We may notice this when we experience pain or illness. This goes beyond the links between emotions and physical responses described in psychosomatics.
The body has its own sensory-motor memory. It stores situations, movements and impressions in nerves, muscles and bones. Our everyday language knows this very well, with expressions such as ‘The shock is in my bones’ or ‘The accident got under my skin’. Normally we do not pay much attention to our body awareness. It works and that’s fine. In bodywork, however, we listen attentively to our own body, from the inside. It is full of resources and powers. We get to know them better and also learn to use them, for example through breathing. Very simple mindfulness exercises are sufficient for this, and phenomenological constellation work is always body work par excellence.
Many people carry unfinished stories in their bodies. These can be painful, sometimes traumatic experiences such as birth complications, deprivation, accidents or difficult emotional circumstances in childhood, or even traumatic experiences of parents and previous generations. We are their flesh and blood, so we also carry their unfinished stories in our bodies. A physical story, such as that of an accident, is unfinished if the body has not realised that the danger to life has passed. The survival energy from that time remains stuck. Survival energy, such as that needed to fight or flee, interferes with normal everyday functions, so the body wants to get rid of it at all costs. To do this, it develops strong signals such as post-traumatic stress disorder or other symptoms, even serious illness.
In bodywork we use mindfulness and body awareness to let the body tell its stories and, above all, to tell them to the end. This gives even severe ‘traumas’ the opportunity to dissolve gently. They can be transformed from paralysing fear into what they really are: bad memories that are part of us but no longer cause us distress. Of course, getting in touch with the feelings you had at the time plays a crucial role in this process. Emotions are a physical response. My job is to guide you through this process in an appropriate way and at the right pace. This effectively prevents re-traumatisation.
If your body is telling you that you would like to find out what stories it has to tell, why not make an individual appointment or come to an open constellation seminar?
* Wilfried Nelles in conversation. I also often refer to the trauma work of Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing SE).
