Ian Somerhalder Foundation Book Club discussion
This topic is about
Path of the Stray
Body Talk
date
newest »
newest »
Okay i used to think that body and mind were two seperate things. But now i think differently. I've been going to a qiqong and tai chi class for three years now and i learned a lot about my body and mind. Tai chi and qiqong is a great way to be more connected to yourself and to the earth. Anyway i learned that when you have a strong emotion and do not let it out, it can make you sick. So specific symptoms are connected to specific emotions. So i learned that my knee-injurie had something to do with me not wanting or being afraid of going forward. I had very rigid thinking. I was afraid of change.sadness is connected to the lungs, many people who went through difficult times as a kid have astma.
Fear is connected to the kidneys, anger with the liver.
I also learned that by doing those tai chi exercises, i could immediatly see an inbalance in either mind or body. When my mind is somewhere else and i cant focus, i litterally fall over. When i think rigid again and think i will never learn it, i cannot bend my knee. On the other hand when i am totally focussed and open(i mean in the heart, and letting go of emotions)i am perfectly balanced and my exercises really look good.
We learn to take notice of what the body says, and work with it to heal it, by giving thought at the places that hurt.
When you balance body and mind, you suddenly feel complete, you have no fear, no need of anything other than you. At that moment you ARE.
Marjolein wrote: "Okay i used to think that body and mind were two seperate things. But now i think differently. I've been going to a qiqong and tai chi class for three years now and i learned a lot about my body an..."Beautiful, Marjolein. Well put. Qigong, meditation, martial arts are all wonderful ways to get into present moment awareness, connect with the body and the thoughts and attitudes we have that affect our physical well being. In astrology, each part of the body is related to a sign and ruling planet. In the case of the knees, we would say Saturn and Capricorn are involved, sending a message about rigidity and unwillingness to 'bend' or move forward. There are many ways for us to listen to the body talk. Thanks for sharing about qiqong and Tai chi!
Kim wrote: "Marjolein wrote: "Okay i used to think that body and mind were two seperate things. But now i think differently. I've been going to a qiqong and tai chi class for three years now and i learned a lo..."Thanks for the reply, i didnt know about astrologie but it is great to know, everything is connected to us even the stars!!! I feel like my world is getting bigger and bigger!
In astrology we say 'as above, so below' meaning our expression of consciousness and the events we experience here are mirrored in the movements of the solar systems. It's really an amazing study, the complexity and order of the 'stars'!
I'm a Scorpio, and when someone gives me the 'Oh my' look upon hearing my signed, I assume they know astrology. When conversing with someone I pay more attention to their body language than their words; it always tells me so much more. Daily walks and meditation keep me grounded (as well as my thighs in shape, but I digress).
*upon hearing my sign. ugh, touch screens...
D wrote: "*upon hearing my sign. ugh, touch screens..."It's amazing how many ppl who have not studied astrology give 'that look' when hearing 'Scorpio' or 'Capricorn' . . . those two signs get the worst press! People forget, or don't know, that we all have ALL twelve signs of the zodiac in us. We just identify or tune in (like a radio station) more to some than others. Body language can tell us so much more than the words!
Love the sound of daily walks and meditation. Nice!
Listening to one's body is a must. A lesson I unfortunately learned the hard way. I'm a firm believer that the mind controls the body on a level much deeper than most of us realize.Marjolein, how fascinating! I would love to take tai chi for that very reason!
We sure do! I've had a Scorpio personality since I was seven, very sarcastic and dry. I even had a man say he wouldn't date me (after 4 dates!) upon discovering my sign! Oh well, his loss. Yes, daily walks & meditation have done wonders for me; attending a Buddhist retreat in the near future as well. We must take care of our bodies.
D wrote: "We sure do! I've had a Scorpio personality since I was seven, very sarcastic and dry. I even had a man say he wouldn't date me (after 4 dates!) upon discovering my sign! Oh well, his loss. Yes, dai..."I'm trying to guess HIS sign that he would pass you up! Definitely your gain (if he held those opinions to start with!) lol The retreat sound wonderful. Let us know about it!
I never did discover his sign, but I tend to scare Pisces men away for some reason. Looking forward to the retreat and can't wait to share my experience!
D wrote: "I never did discover his sign, but I tend to scare Pisces men away for some reason. Looking forward to the retreat and can't wait to share my experience!"It's always interesting to think about how certain signs are effected by our presence! (There's a young Pisces man in Path of the Stray we will have to get your opinion on!)
Looking forward to hearing about the retreat!
I'm really looking forward to reading 'Path of the Stray,' it's received so many good reviews! I'm assuming you're also a Scorpio?
Danielle wrote: "I'm really looking forward to reading 'Path of the Stray,' it's received so many good reviews! I'm assuming you're also a Scorpio?"I have Saturn in Scorpio and Pluto rising, which makes me a defacto Scorp. My sun's in Gemini!
I really need to find out my moon/sun signs...
Danielle wrote: "I really need to find out my moon/sun signs..."Easy. Go to Astro.com and input your birth data for a free chart and list of planetary positions. I have a tutorial to help step by step.
Also, for a quick peek of any positions, anytime, input here (just type sun, moon, mercury, etc . . . coma between) It will generate an ephemeris. Fun!
Thanks for the information, will be doing that tonight!
Danielle wrote: "Thanks for the information, will be doing that tonight!"Let me know if you get stuck anywhere!
That's quite the chart I received lol! Sun in Scorpio, moon in Virgo...
Danielle wrote: "That's quite the chart I received lol! Sun in Scorpio, moon in Virgo..."Oh nice!Scorp and Virgo 'get along' and can mean your goals and ambitions are in accord with your inner world of feelings.
Can you see what your rising sign is? (the sign on the first house, the Ascendant)
If I'm reading it correctly (and I've only had one cup of coffee), my rising sign is Libra.
Danielle wrote: "If I'm reading it correctly (and I've only had one cup of coffee), my rising sign is Libra."That would mean the Moon is in your 11th or 12th house and the Sun in your first, or second? Libra is between those two signs, creating a balance or objectivity between your feelings and your drive for significance. Libra is more social than either Scorp or Virgo so that rising sign gets you out and connecting more! Lovely.
Can I ask you about mine sign? I am Leo (1992 07 24) and I don't known nothing more :) What can you tell about me :)
Jurate wrote: "Can I ask you about mine sign? I am Leo (1992 07 24) and I don't known nothing more :) What can you tell about me :)"Hi Jurate,
Go to Astro.com and input your birth data (you need your birth time and place as well as your date)for a free chart. I have a tutorial to help step by step.
Then post the link to your chart (or copy your chart as an image) and I'll help you take a look! (Leo like Ruby! Yay!)
Yes, the sun is in my first. I've always been a solitary-social butterfly, if that's what it means :-)
Jurate wrote: "http://www.astro.com/cgi/chart.cgi?rs...Is that chart you mean? :)"
That link just takes me to my own default astro.com chart. What you have to do is click on your chart as if you were going to print it (so it loads it onto it's on page) and then post that link. Give it a try!
Jurate wrote: "http://www.astro.com/cgi/showgif.cgi?..."Oh dear, it's morning for me here and that link expired. You can copy the image of the chart and paste it into the body of an email. I'm enchantment at kimfalconer dot com. We'll get there!
Kim- I have no idea what I am looking at but I am fascinated to know what you think but only if you have the time. http://www.astro.com/cgi/showgif.cgi?...
Tina wrote: "Kim- I have no idea what I am looking at but I am fascinated to know what you think but only if you have the time. http://www.astro.com/cgi/showgif.cgi?......."
I'd love to take a quick look but the chart 'expired'! Copy as an image and email it to me?
I just registered at astro.com and was able to enter my information got my chart and have no clue what I am looking at but it has always been interesting to me. The only thing I did recognize is being a Leo
Emily wrote: "I just registered at astro.com and was able to enter my information got my chart and have no clue what I am looking at but it has always been interesting to me. The only thing I did recognize is be..."Yeah for Leo! We seem to have a lot of Leo action around here! It is another language, the symbols of the chart, so it takes a little study to be able to read. But if you got into Astro.com and created your horoscope, you're halfway there. Did you try my tutorial for reading the signs and planets in your chart? Try posting your chart, if you like, and we'll see where your moon is and find the rising sign. :)
Hey Kim, would you take a look at mine, also? I'll try and post it here ...very interested in finding out more but a complete newbie to my own "background-info" and how to read it ... I'd be thrilled for any help and suggestions ... Leo, 8-8-81, Worms / Germany, 2:48 am ... trying to post the astro.com chart ... <3!
Nike wrote: "Hey Kim, would you take a look at mine, also? I'll try and post it here ...very interested in finding out more but a complete newbie to my own "background-info" and how to read it ... I'd be thrill..."Post a link. That would be great!
We are so Leo'd up there. I love it!
Nike wrote: "http://www.astro.com/cgi/chart.cgi?rs...hope this works aka I did it correctly??"
Well done! You're Sun Leo (as you knew) with Cancer Ascendant and Scorpio moon! I'll be back to comment. Flat out right now but anyone wanting to know how to get their astro.com charts linked, ask Nike!
More soon!
Oh, you. *shufflingfeet* ... I'd be happy to help anyone trying to link their chart, of course!
Nike wrote: "http://www.astro.com/cgi/chart.cgi?rs...hope this works aka I did it correctly??"
You have a very strongly focused chart, Nike. In other words, there is a lot of energy that lights up particular goals and drives. When you decide you want to do something (that you love) you are an unstoppable force!
Communication - speaking, teaching, studying, sharing information, performance, creativity - is very important (the fiery Leo side) but your intuition and inner wisdom is also quite potent. Having Cancer rising is very receptive. You can take on the feelings and moods of those around you. Moon in Scorp too. You KNOW what people really mean, no matter what they say.
It's a powerful, creative and charismatic combination!
That sounds so flattering! Usually I only hear about my egozentric side and being a "sharpshooter" ... I should copy and paste that on my website!!THANKS SO MUCH, KIM! <3
Nike wrote: "That sounds so flattering! Usually I only hear about my egozentric side and being a "sharpshooter" ... I should copy and paste that on my website!!THANKS SO MUCH, KIM! <3"
Definitely copy and paste on site! I like that idea! :)
I have become a yoga addict recently, first it was to tone up and lose a few pounds, but now it has become so much more than that. My mind completely calms down (and usually it is constantly on the move jetting from thought to thought) and I can focus all my energy on my body. It really brings the two closer together. I think that I have a mind and I have a body, but joined together and sprinkled with some soul - it is me.
Emily wrote: "I have become a yoga addict recently, first it was to tone up and lose a few pounds, but now it has become so much more than that. My mind completely calms down (and usually it is constantly on the..."I love that! I've always wanted to take up yoga, and your description makes me want to even more!
Body Talk
We know the saying, show don’t tell. By letting characters portray their thoughts and feelings via actions and body language, readers immerse in the story, experiencing the journey deeply because they aren’t being told what to think or how to feel. The body speaks for itself!
But body language is more than a medium for novelists. It has much to do with our authentic communication with others. Mixed messages abound if I say yes but rub the back of my neck, or I’m not upset while I cross my arms and take a step back, or no to a first date if I’m smiling and playing with my hair. Clear and honest communication with ourselves and with others means checking in with the body and seeing what it has to say.
If we want a particular experience, we can focus our thoughts on what we want and state it clearly, helping us believe we can have it. But often we do this without noticing our body’s response. If I make a statement with my shoulders hunched, eyes looking down, hands clenched, there’s a mixed message there. But if I speak with my shoulders back, eyes smiling, open palms, my mind and body are in accord.
Ruby meets Reo for the first time, Path of the Stray pg. 281
‘Sorry. I thought you were a lad.’
Ruby squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. ‘Well
I’m not.’
‘Your clothes. Your hair …’
She pushed her short fringe off her forehead. ‘What
about them?’
‘They’re … different.’ He made a show of checking
his mare’s respiration. ‘What’s your name?’
‘Ruby.’
‘Like the stone?’
‘Like the jewel!’
* * *
If we make choices without listening to the wisdom of the body, we are not in alignment with our true self.
Ruby and Kay alone in the stables, pg 512
‘Would you sleep out here tonight?’ He looked at the
bed.
She shifted her weight. Suddenly she felt stilted, her
throat tightening. She swallowed. ‘With you?’
This was not the way she had fantasised about Kay —
water lapping, soft lights glowing, the touch of her hand
on his thigh … their lips, the kisses. Confidence had
abandoned her. She was left with the reality of this man
in front of her, his vulnerability, and her own. She didn’t
know what to do.
Mind Body Spirit Connection
Every day, your body consciously tends to you, never losing focus or attention. You can acknowledge this faithful service by consciously relating to your body in turn. –Deepak Chopra, Reinvention the Body, Resurrecting the Soul, pg 255
You are not your body. You are not your mind. You have a body. You have a mind . . . As we place our awareness, today and every day, on that balance of our mind and that balance of our body, and the sweet dynamic exchange that they feed to each other throughout every moment, that will determine our level of health and ultimately happiness, ultimately fulfilment. -From Deepak Chopra’s Mind Body Odyssey 21 Day Meditation Challenge
Tryn thinking about Jarrod, pg 336
The whole point of a spirit in a body was to explore
connection, wasn’t it? Expand through relationships?
Intimacy? It was for her . . .
. . . Jarrod had disagreed . . . He’d felt the whole point
of spirit in the body was to expand the thing he called
consciousness.
Janis and Layloni discuss relationships, pg 26
(Janis) ‘Stop thinking about why he upsets you and find
something to appreciate.’
‘Like what?’
‘Whatever captivates you. Whatever makes you smile
when you think of him.’
Loni lifted her face. ‘His body!’
* * *
Janis and Luka discuss Jarrod, pg. 72
(Janis) ‘I wouldn’t underestimate his instinct.’
‘Instinct? He’s a …’
‘He’s a conscious being. The same as you or I.’
‘Not the same as you or I, Janis. Instinct is an
attribute of the physical body; he doesn’t have one,
remember?’
‘Are you so certain?’
‘What? You mean his hardware? The CPU? Digital
display?’
‘He has visual consciousness, why not olfactory,
sensory? Even for us they are simply electrical signals
interpreted by the brain. Why can’t Jarrod have the
same experiences?’
‘I have no idea . . . ’
* * *
Jarrod and Janis flee ASSIST pg 109
He felt the exhilaration again as her fingers laced in
his, sensations of heat and power zapping up the
neurons to his brain. It made his heart race. If this is
what a simple electrical signal to the brain can create,
I’m surprised humans ever get anything done! He was
accustomed to abstract consciousness, but sensory,
tactile awareness was something else. He grimaced at
the burning in his lungs. All these new feelings would
take some getting used to.
Gender and Body Image
Body image is a huge problem for many people, and classically women are the most distressed about it. - Deepak Chopra, Reinvention the Body, Resurrecting the Soul, pg 258
Deepak goes on to say that body image changes when we start to relate more consciously, as if our body were a person we loved dearly. Would we care for them less if they were unfit, ageing, ill? Our culture has taught us to treat our bodies as separate objects that we measure against a (catwalk model) ideal. It doesn’t have to be that way. Connection to all life and each other begins within, with our connection to our bodies.
Ruby reflects on the contrast between life on Earth and Gaela, pg 339-340
Ruby could only fully understand the social shift by
reading her mother’s secreted books. Philosophical
thinkers from the past, feminist thinkers, were no longer
available in public libraries or the ASSIST school
system. In the new paradigm, the retro paradigm,
human beings (man) were the absolute. Everything else
was other, the hierarchy demarcated by gender, race and
sentience, in that order — white male trumping all.
Ironically, mineral (technology) was given precedence
over animal and vegetable, to the devastation of the
environment, Mother Earth — the ultimate ‘other’.
Where would it end? Had it already?
But now Ruby was immersed in a world where the
genders were not only equal, they had few inhibitions
with each other. None, really, that she could discover. It
was disconcerting at times, all this pretending to fit in as
if it were second nature. Anything but . . .
Discussion
How do you treat your body? Do you listen to its inner wisdom? If you have a symptom or sensation, do you try to ‘fix’ it, or is there a moment where you ask, ‘what is the message here?’ What are my ‘gut’ feelings? Do you have them? Trust them?
If your body could talk, what would it say to you right now?
Let’s discuss the experience of having a body, having a mind. Who is it that has these things? Take a moment today to set a new intention and invite your body to launch it with all the enthusiasm in your heart. Get thyself in accord!