April 30, 2021 - I have been having some pain in the neck and left shoulder on and off for maybe 20 years or so. It’s been one of those things that comes and goes…most of that time on the “goes” end of the scale. But, lately it’s been pretty consistent so I decided some intervention would be a good plan. I’ve been going to my friend, Brooke Moen, for some acupuncture. I’ve never done acupuncture before, but Brooke’s awesome and I figured why not.

I feel we are making some progress, and acupuncture is pretty cool, but one thing we do is talk about how things are going, and one conversation stuck with me. I was talking to Brooke about how my body will hold this tension - right now in my shoulder, and often a sense of anxiousness in my chest - but my mind is telling me things are ok, and I don’t understand what my body’s problem is. Brooke said, somewhat jokingly, “You shouldn’t really listen to the mind.” I thought it was funny, and I also thought she had a point there. I’ve been overriding my body with my mind, telling my body not to feel how it’s feeling…as opposed to the obvious question, “Why are you feeling this way?” Or, a favorite that Brooke asked me, “What would happen if you release this tension?”

It’s all a reminder to me that, yes, the mind does have things to offer, but the body and heart are also doing their best to take care of us, and we should listen to all the input we are receiving. It’s like we are living in this vehicle that really wants us to get through life and be happy, and instead of listening to the messages, we disregard them, hide them behind drugs, get angry at them, or misinterpret them. But, the body, the heart, and the mind keep trying. Go team! Our job, my job, is to keep practicing getting better and better at listening.