Where is our center? Just what does this mean, finding our center? Perhaps we know it all too well when we are around a man that is “not centered.” They tend to be spacey versus present emotionally and tend toward reacting instead of acting in situations. Typically a centered man knows what they want and need versus a man that is easily influenced by others. This isn’t about generalizing – more about helping you to recognize when you are around man that is not centered. Typically a man that is centered responds after hearing what you have to say, versus a non-centered man that answers while listening. See where I am going with this?
Being uncentered takes us into our anxious selves, into our heads – and when the energy is moving up instead of down into our grounding and centering, it becomes difficult to think clearly. We tend to look into our surround for guidance instead of inside, to that inner knowing that we all possess. So, what the heck do we DO about this, when it seems to whole world is conspiring against our coming from a centered place in our lives? It’s all about the awareness, baby!
In my spiritual training back in the 80’s I learned the importance of a centering practice, about expanding my everyday awareness to include all of the sensations of my body. I discovered the ‘language” of the body, my body. Once I opened myself up to this practice, or meditation (and it really is a body mediation!), I discovered a whole other way of knowing, a whole other way of being in the world. Men frequently ask me, “how did you know this or that?” when really it is about opening myself up to an inner language of my body. THIS INNER KNOWNG CANNOT HAPPEN IF WE ARE NOT CENTERED!
In addition to a general body awareness practice there are all kinds of centering practices: usually some form of somatic movement such as yoga, Chi Gong, swimming (a meditative practice in itself, yes.), even body-building or dancing in front of a full-length mirror can help develop centering. One note though – any kind of trauma can interrupt what is called an “orienting reflex” making it a challenge to find our center. Working with a qualified movement therapist or somatic practitioner can help with this. To me, life, our relationships, and even our level of contentedness is all about FIRST finding our center.
DMB
