Conversing with Your Body: Difference between revisions

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#Place your hands close together but not touching. Hold them in that position.

#Pay attention to one hand for a few seconds. You are looking for a ~~light~~ sensation that feels like it is either pulling your hands ~~lightly~~ together or pushing your hands ~~lightly~~ apart.

#Pay attention to one hand for a few seconds. You are looking for a weak sensation that feels like it is either pulling your hands closer together or pushing your hands further apart.

#Move your attention to the other hand. Keep your attention on that same sensation.

#Move your attention back and forth between hands, noticing how the strength of the sensation moves with your attention.

#Slowly move your hands closer and further apart. Pay attention to how the sensation moves from one part of your hand to another part of your hand.

These sensations that direct your hands are often mistaken for energy (life force, ch’i, qi, or ki.) It may feel like wind or like your hands are glowing or radiating. They aren’t. These sensations aren’t energy at all. These sensations are weak muscle contractions that attempt to direct your movements. They are not energy or life force or anything of the sort. Your action intentions and imagined actions provoke these weak ~~muscle~~ responses. The responses are your body’s attempt to either direct or discourage your intended or imagined actions. When you try to do something, your body either tries to show you how to do it or it tries to stop you from doing it. This is the clearest and most reliable way for your body to communicate with you.

These sensations that direct your hands are often mistaken for [[wikipedia:Qi|energy, also referred to as life force, ch’i, qi, or ki]]. It may feel like wind or like your hands are glowing or radiating. They aren’t. These sensations aren’t energy at all. These sensations are weak muscle contractions that attempt to direct your movements. They are not energy or life force or anything of the sort. Your action intentions and imagined actions provoke these weak responses in your muscles. The responses are your body’s attempt to either direct or discourage your intended or imagined actions. When you try to do something, your body either tries to show you how to do it or tries to stop you from doing it. This is the clearest and most reliable way for your body to communicate with you.

===Lesson 2: Using the Sensations===

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==Alternative Body Parts for Receiving Responses==

Your hands are not the only body parts that you can use to receive your body’s responses. You can learn to use any part of the body in a similar way. If you are having trouble finding the responses in your hands, you can try another body part. Any response to any question can be received in any body part.

Your hands are not the only body parts that you can use to receive your body’s responses. You can learn to use any part of the body in a similar way. If you are having trouble finding the responses in your hands, you can try [[The Body’s Responses|another body part]]. Any response to any question can be received in any body part.

Some areas are more convenient for certain types of questions. For me, feet are convenient for body positioning instructions and hands are natural for massage instructions. If both your hands and feet are busy, you can use your face to ask your body a question. Any body part can be used to query any question. It’s usually a good idea to avoid using your abdominal muscles, the first responses that were discovered, because their negative response is a weak form of the vomit reflex. However, it can still be used sparingly, if necessary.

Some areas are more convenient for certain types of questions. For me, [[The Body’s Responses #Foot Responses|feet]] are convenient for [[Positioning & Movement#Body Positioning Needs|body positioning instructions]] and hands are natural for [[Massage Sense|massage instructions]]. If both your hands and feet are busy, you can use your [[The Body’s Responses #Facial Responses|face]] to ask your body a question. Any body part can be used to query any question. It’s usually a good idea to avoid using your [[The Body’s Responses #Abdominal Responses|abdominal muscles]], the first responses that were discovered, because their negative response is a weak form of the vomit reflex. However, it can still be used sparingly, if necessary.

==Response Doubt==

If you are doubting the sensations you are receiving, check to see if it is getting difficult to focus on or trigger those sensations. This can be a symptom of a rebuild being triggered, causing an aversion to you triggering those responses. Once again, respect the rebuild and stop using these methods for a while. If you attempt to continue asking your body questions in this state, you are likely to create a longer-term aversion to asking your body questions. This should all feel easy~~, so if~~ it doesn’t, something is likely wrong that needs your attention.

If you are doubting the sensations you are receiving, check to see if it is getting difficult to focus on or trigger those sensations. This can be a symptom of a [[Rebuilds|rebuild]] being triggered, causing an [[Aversions|aversion]] to you triggering those responses. Once again, respect the rebuild and stop using these methods for a while. If you attempt to continue asking your body questions in this state, you are likely to create a longer-term aversion to asking your body questions. This should all feel easy. If it doesn’t, something is likely wrong that needs your attention.

==Verification of Correct Sensation Identification==

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==Review==

===The Language Your Body Understands===

===[[#The Language Your Body Understands|The Language Your Body Understands]]===

*Your body understands your actions, not your words.

*You can do something, intend to do something, or imagine doing something. That is how you can talk to your body. That is Dolish.

===Your Body’s Responses===

===[[#Your Body’s Responses|Your Body’s Responses]]===

*Your body responds by directing or discouraging your physical movements when you intend to do something.

*To listen to your body’s responses, you need to pay attention to a single body part that it can reply to you through.

*Any body part will work for any question. The same replies are received anywhere. Different muscles do not represent different organs, different parts of your body, or different decision makers. The same answers are returned anywhere on your body that you can attend to and receive them.

===Variations & Trouble Starting===

===[[#Variations & Trouble Starting|Variations & Trouble Starting]]===

*It’s common to have trouble finding the sensations of your body communicating with you. Your body may have switched to providing alternative responses, such as aches or pains, or it may have stopped providing these responses at all. It’s not hard to get it working again.

*Getting it working again will likely involve rebuilds, evidenced by a sudden need for reduced lighting, a sudden need for a reclining posture (possibly with elevated feet), and a temporary aversion to behaviors such as body communication. You should respect the rebuild process and do what your body seems to want.

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*This rebuild state may last a few minutes to a few hours. If you expect it to happen, wait until just before going to bed to trigger it.

===A Beginner's Guide to Hand Responses===

===[[#A Beginner's Guide to Hand Responses|A Beginner's Guide to Hand Responses]]===

*The sensation you are looking for in your hands can feel a bit like light wind, so minimize air current interference when starting out.

*If you place your hands close together, the sensation you are looking for feels like it is either pulling your hands lightly together or pushing your hands lightly apart.

Line 137:

*Your body can respond positively, a yes response, encouraging the action. Your body can respond negatively, a no response, discouraging the action. Your body can also just not respond at all, a null response.

===Alternative Body Parts for Receiving Responses===

===[[#Alternative Body Parts for Receiving Responses|Alternative Body Parts for Receiving Responses]]===

*You can learn to use any part of your body to receive a response from your body.

*Some body parts are more convenient or feel more natural than others, depending on the question you’re asking.

*The abdominal response was the first discovered, but the least useful. The body doesn’t like triggering its negative response, a weak vomit reflex, hundreds of times per day.

===Response Doubt===

===[[#Response Doubt|Response Doubt]]===

*If you are doubting the sensations you are receiving, check to see if it is getting difficult to focus on or trigger those sensations. If so, you may be in a rebuild. Stop immediately. Take a break or a nap.

===Verification of Correct Sensation Identification===

===[[#Verification of Correct Sensation Identification|Verification of Correct Sensation Identification]]===

*When teaching body communication to someone else, it can help to ask them what response they are getting for intending to eat items that tend to produce negative responses in everyone.

*Coffee tends to produce negative responses for everyone who isn’t starving, even though some sources of caffeine produce positive responses, such as cacao nibs in small amounts.

*When teaching body communication to someone else, it can also help to ask how the sensation they are using feels. If they describe heat, pleasure, or something like that, they have not found the right sensations.

===Influencing Responses===

===[[#Influencing Responses|Influencing Responses]]===

*You can’t force your body to respond positively to something it would normally respond negatively to.

*If you think something is poisoned or bad for you, your body can respond negatively to it when it would normally respond positively to it. This does not, however, affect your body’s need for what it is responding positively to. It just blocks that particular source of need fulfillment that you think is bad.

@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 #Place your hands close together but not touching. Hold them in that position.
-#Pay attention to one hand for a few seconds. You are looking for a light sensation that feels like it is either pulling your hands lightly together or pushing your hands lightly apart.
+#Pay attention to one hand for a few seconds. You are looking for a weak sensation that feels like it is either pulling your hands closer together or pushing your hands further apart.
 #Move your attention to the other hand. Keep your attention on that same sensation.
 #Move your attention back and forth between hands, noticing how the strength of the sensation moves with your attention.
 #Slowly move your hands closer and further apart. Pay attention to how the sensation moves from one part of your hand to another part of your hand.
-These sensations that direct your hands are often mistaken for energy (life force, ch’i, qi, or ki.) It may feel like wind or like your hands are glowing or radiating. They aren’t. These sensations aren’t energy at all. These sensations are weak muscle contractions that attempt to direct your movements. They are not energy or life force or anything of the sort. Your action intentions and imagined actions provoke these weak muscle responses. The responses are your body’s attempt to either direct or discourage your intended or imagined actions. When you try to do something, your body either tries to show you how to do it or it tries to stop you from doing it. This is the clearest and most reliable way for your body to communicate with you.
+These sensations that direct your hands are often mistaken for [[wikipedia:Qi|energy, also referred to as life force, ch’i, qi, or ki]]. It may feel like wind or like your hands are glowing or radiating. They aren’t. These sensations aren’t energy at all. These sensations are weak muscle contractions that attempt to direct your movements. They are not energy or life force or anything of the sort. Your action intentions and imagined actions provoke these weak responses in your muscles. The responses are your body’s attempt to either direct or discourage your intended or imagined actions. When you try to do something, your body either tries to show you how to do it or tries to stop you from doing it. This is the clearest and most reliable way for your body to communicate with you.
 ===Lesson 2: Using the Sensations===
@@ Line 89: / Line 89: @@
 ==Alternative Body Parts for Receiving Responses==
-Your hands are not the only body parts that you can use to receive your body’s responses. You can learn to use any part of the body in a similar way. If you are having trouble finding the responses in your hands, you can try another body part. Any response to any question can be received in any body part.
+Your hands are not the only body parts that you can use to receive your body’s responses. You can learn to use any part of the body in a similar way. If you are having trouble finding the responses in your hands, you can try [[The Body’s Responses|another body part]]. Any response to any question can be received in any body part.
-Some areas are more convenient for certain types of questions. For me, feet are convenient for body positioning instructions and hands are natural for massage instructions. If both your hands and feet are busy, you can use your face to ask your body a question. Any body part can be used to query any question. It’s usually a good idea to avoid using your abdominal muscles, the first responses that were discovered, because their negative response is a weak form of the vomit reflex. However, it can still be used sparingly, if necessary.
+Some areas are more convenient for certain types of questions. For me, [[The Body’s Responses #Foot Responses|feet]] are convenient for [[Positioning & Movement#Body Positioning Needs|body positioning instructions]] and hands are natural for [[Massage Sense|massage instructions]]. If both your hands and feet are busy, you can use your [[The Body’s Responses #Facial Responses|face]] to ask your body a question. Any body part can be used to query any question. It’s usually a good idea to avoid using your [[The Body’s Responses #Abdominal Responses|abdominal muscles]], the first responses that were discovered, because their negative response is a weak form of the vomit reflex. However, it can still be used sparingly, if necessary.
 ==Response Doubt==
-If you are doubting the sensations you are receiving, check to see if it is getting difficult to focus on or trigger those sensations. This can be a symptom of a rebuild being triggered, causing an aversion to you triggering those responses. Once again, respect the rebuild and stop using these methods for a while. If you attempt to continue asking your body questions in this state, you are likely to create a longer-term aversion to asking your body questions. This should all feel easy, so if it doesn’t, something is likely wrong that needs your attention.
+If you are doubting the sensations you are receiving, check to see if it is getting difficult to focus on or trigger those sensations. This can be a symptom of a [[Rebuilds|rebuild]] being triggered, causing an [[Aversions|aversion]] to you triggering those responses. Once again, respect the rebuild and stop using these methods for a while. If you attempt to continue asking your body questions in this state, you are likely to create a longer-term aversion to asking your body questions. This should all feel easy. If it doesn’t, something is likely wrong that needs your attention.
 ==Verification of Correct Sensation Identification==
@@ Line 113: / Line 113: @@
 ==Review==
-===The Language Your Body Understands===
+===[[#The Language Your Body Understands|The Language Your Body Understands]]===
 *Your body understands your actions, not your words.
 *You can do something, intend to do something, or imagine doing something. That is how you can talk to your body. That is Dolish.
-===Your Body’s Responses===
+===[[#Your Body’s Responses|Your Body’s Responses]]===
 *Your body responds by directing or discouraging your physical movements when you intend to do something.
 *To listen to your body’s responses, you need to pay attention to a single body part that it can reply to you through.
 *Any body part will work for any question. The same replies are received anywhere. Different muscles do not represent different organs, different parts of your body, or different decision makers. The same answers are returned anywhere on your body that you can attend to and receive them.
-===Variations & Trouble Starting===
+===[[#Variations & Trouble Starting|Variations & Trouble Starting]]===
 *It’s common to have trouble finding the sensations of your body communicating with you. Your body may have switched to providing alternative responses, such as aches or pains, or it may have stopped providing these responses at all. It’s not hard to get it working again.
 *Getting it working again will likely involve rebuilds, evidenced by a sudden need for reduced lighting, a sudden need for a reclining posture (possibly with elevated feet), and a temporary aversion to behaviors such as body communication. You should respect the rebuild process and do what your body seems to want.
@@ Line 128: / Line 128: @@
 *This rebuild state may last a few minutes to a few hours. If you expect it to happen, wait until just before going to bed to trigger it.
-===A Beginner's Guide to Hand Responses===
+===[[#A Beginner's Guide to Hand Responses|A Beginner's Guide to Hand Responses]]===
 *The sensation you are looking for in your hands can feel a bit like light wind, so minimize air current interference when starting out.
 *If you place your hands close together, the sensation you are looking for feels like it is either pulling your hands lightly together or pushing your hands lightly apart.
@@ Line 137: / Line 137: @@
 *Your body can respond positively, a yes response, encouraging the action. Your body can respond negatively, a no response, discouraging the action. Your body can also just not respond at all, a null response.
-===Alternative Body Parts for Receiving Responses===
+===[[#Alternative Body Parts for Receiving Responses|Alternative Body Parts for Receiving Responses]]===
 *You can learn to use any part of your body to receive a response from your body.
 *Some body parts are more convenient or feel more natural than others, depending on the question you’re asking.
 *The abdominal response was the first discovered, but the least useful. The body doesn’t like triggering its negative response, a weak vomit reflex, hundreds of times per day.
-===Response Doubt===
+===[[#Response Doubt|Response Doubt]]===
 *If you are doubting the sensations you are receiving, check to see if it is getting difficult to focus on or trigger those sensations. If so, you may be in a rebuild. Stop immediately. Take a break or a nap.
-===Verification of Correct Sensation Identification===
+===[[#Verification of Correct Sensation Identification|Verification of Correct Sensation Identification]]===
 *When teaching body communication to someone else, it can help to ask them what response they are getting for intending to eat items that tend to produce negative responses in everyone.
 *Coffee tends to produce negative responses for everyone who isn’t starving, even though some sources of caffeine produce positive responses, such as cacao nibs in small amounts.
 *When teaching body communication to someone else, it can also help to ask how the sensation they are using feels. If they describe heat, pleasure, or something like that, they have not found the right sensations.
-===Influencing Responses===
+===[[#Influencing Responses|Influencing Responses]]===
 *You can’t force your body to respond positively to something it would normally respond negatively to.
 *If you think something is poisoned or bad for you, your body can respond negatively to it when it would normally respond positively to it. This does not, however, affect your body’s need for what it is responding positively to. It just blocks that particular source of need fulfillment that you think is bad.