I usually let spiders (and most other critters) roam free in our house.
Only when I feel that they'll be "played with" (a.k.a. mauled) by our curious cat, or if it seems they'd do better in the wild, will I safely usher them outside.
So it's not uncommon for us to have a few spider friends make a home for awhile in various parts of our home. I say hello to them when we walk by, and I always get a little sad when I can no longer find them because they've decided to move on.
But even so, a few weeks ago I felt like I was being intentionally visited by these little friends..so much so that I decided to look up what various ideas there are about the mystical and symbolic meaning of spiders and what it might indicate when they're visiting you.
And then, last week, I came across 2 stink bugs in the span of 24 hours, after having only ever seen them in my in-laws' house in Kentucky. One was in our home (and was promptly set free outside when my dear feline started "investigating"), and then the second I saw outside of my acupuncturist's office.
So, once again, I took to the interwebs and explored what ideas people had for what this could be telling me. And, as I expected, even the humble stink bug is thought to have some messages to share.
Perhaps the idea of getting spiritual messages from the bug visitors in your life isn't really something you can get on board with. But I do want to say that this idea that "everything is information" is still pretty solid—including when it comes to wellness and the body.
"Everything is information" is infused not only into my work, but also my own wellness.
Everything I feel within my body is communicating a story to me. Every ache, grumble, or release is a message. And it's up to me to listen, to learn, and to respond.
This is how I first started integrating a more embodied awareness into my wellness practices. I realized that while we are so often encouraged to simply cover up or squash symptoms, we're not as regularly told that they are also powerful messengers. Instead of only quieting these things, we can learn from them—and in doing so, we might be more able to resolve them at the root.
Our bodies have stories to share. But how can we become better listeners, and more intentional responders?
As a practitioner, I am not the authority of your body. I will never know you like you know you. And while I might hold information or resources that you may benefit from, you are the expert of your own story.
But what I can offer is a partnership to help guide you toward a more embodied way of feeling well. Of listening and responding. Of paying attention to the stories your body shares with you every day and how you might more holistically respond to that information.
Instead of ignoring or shooing away the things you're feeling in your spirit and body, what might you be able to learn from them? What might their purpose be in presenting to you in this particular way? Even the things that can sometimes feel like a nuisance...how might you approach those things with a gentle curiosity?
Everything is information. It's not good or bad. There is no binary. Embodied awareness asks that we instead hold our relationship with our body as we would a dear friend—what are they saying, both directly and implicitly, and how might we respond with compassion and a deep desire for connection?