Learning to listen to your own body’s wisdom

Human beings are vastly different and require diversehealing approaches, with the most effective approachesguided by their body's own wisdom.You cannot heal if you don't understand what ishappening in your own mind and body. This extends notonly to scientific knowledge about how the body andmind work but also to being able to connect to one's ownintuitive wisdom about what is needed to heal, saysSybille Lindner of FlowForm Rehab & Physiotherapy.The treatment programmes she designs are much morevaluable and effective when she takes into considerationwhat the person feels they need rather than telling themwhat she thinks they need.“The more a person understands themselves, the betterthey are at knowing what they need to heal. There is noone healing technique that helps everyone, and eachperson must learn for themselves what works for theirown unique body and mind.”She wants to help people learn about their ownuniqueness and show them the wide variety of tools thatare available, so they can try them out and find whatworks for them.“It seems to me that many health issues we havenowadays happen as a result of being disconnected fromour own selves. Trauma does that, pain does that too,and our modern lifestyles pushing us too far and makingus override our own senses create a disconnection fromour own nature.”Growing closer to natureWe forget that we are nature too, says Sybille.We heal at the pace at which a plant grows; we are madeto move through the world at our walking pace; we aremeant to process the sensory inputs we get in a forest orthe ocean rather than virtual and artificial environments.“Living a life too far removed from natural environmentsoverloads our sensory systems and wreaks havoc on ourinternal regulatory systems that maintain our health.Every person who has ever felt drawn to the fresh oceanbreeze or the way the wind sounds in the trees knowsthis. We have to remember that we are natural organicbeings and not machines.”Being out in nature helps us realise this. She explains thatnature is not just a tool we can use to recharge or healourselves; it is our natural home. Our bodies return totheir own natural balance when spending enough time innature, and this effect is much stronger when weconnect to the natural elements in an intentional way.“I want to show people how it is okay, and very healing,to stop running at the pace that modern lifestylesdemand and to relax into the natural rhythms our bodieswant to move in. And perhaps, over time, we can createnew systems that recognise the natural within ourselvesand allow us the freedom to live and breathe in tunewith nature.”Mindful retreatsWhen curating a retreat, Sybille focuses on what shebelieves people need and builds a programme aroundthat. Her last retreat was based on the theme of reconnectingto the natural elements to recognise the need for livingin a natural way. All movement and mindfulnesspractices were centred around this intention.“I also consider what would be inspiring and valuable forpeople to experience. I like showing people other ways ofdoing things, perhaps a little out of the box, to stretchthe limits of what they thought was possible or allowed,so they can widen their field of possibilities and find whatspeaks to them. I like my retreats to be a little different,to explore and play with different ways of connecting toourselves, so we can find what works for us.”Sybille emphasises that retreats are not meant to be justrelaxing holidays or tours to see as many touristattractions as possible. Rather, they are safe spaces inwhich people can play, experience, and learn more aboutthemselves, inspiring real transformation.Even though her physiotherapy training has beenfocused very much on the physical aspects of health, ithas also emphasised the fact that health is a balancebetween the physical, mental, emotional, and socialaspects of a person and that these aspects all influenceeach other in complex ways."Through my experience working with my patients overthe last 13 years, I have found that these interactions aremuch more complex than conventional medical scienceaccepts. I have found much more value in mind-bodytherapies for my own personal health than with only amedical approach.”Holistic approachSybille’s additional studies on the fascia and the nervoussystem have helped her create techniques andapproaches that work on both mind and body. Thedeeper she understands the nervous system as a bridgebetween the two, the more she can connect to what herbody, mind and soul need at any moment.“I have several daily tools I use to help regulate mynervous system and bring mind and body in alignment. Iallow my own body's wisdom and intuition to guide meas to which of those tools are appropriate at that time.”Sybille likes having a wide toolbox that she can pick andchoose from rather than strict routines of daily practices,as this personally works better for her. Her tools includedifferent kinds of breathing techniques, movementpractices like yoga, Tai Chi, Qi gong, intuitive movement,and sensory integration techniques like connecting to herbody's inner sensations and emotions and workingthrough them as they arise.“I keep learning so much about the influence ofmovement, breath, food, relationships, trauma,thoughts, beliefs, and daily emotional processing have onmy overall health, and there is always more to learn.”The holistic understanding of her own health andapplying this understanding by using and developing herown tools have been essential to maintaining her ownpersonal physical and mental health, says Sybille.“The tools I use to keep my mind and body aligned havebecome such an integral part of my lifestyle that this iswho I am now rather than something I do for my health.”Finding balanceMore and more people are struggling with complexchronic conditions for which the medical world just hasno solutions, says Sybille, because of an overlyreductionist model for dealing with complex humanproblems.“We forgot that it is humans we are trying to help, notmachines. We are realising that real healing comes fromguiding ourselves through the process rather thanhanding over responsibility to a healthcare professional.”In her opinion, healthcare professionals should supportpeople on their journey to find what they need and whatworks for them, rather than imposing their beliefs aboutwhat is effective on all their patients. “The personneeding healing is the best person to heal themselves,but they need support on this journey.“We are busy changing generations of conditionedbeliefs about what health means and what is needed forhealing.”But instead of perpetuating separation between us,Sybille believes the best way to bring more healing intothe world is to collaborate and find ways to bring skillstogether, helping each other find what works best forourselves and our loved ones.“There is value in all forms of existing healthcare, andwhen we make our fundamental intention one of self-empowerment and collaboration, everyone will benefitand heal.”Sybille tries to aim for balance in all things, allowingherself the freedom to choose what she does based onhow she feels in the moment.“I allow myself to live in cycles and rhythms, not forcingmyself to do the same routine every day just because itworked then. We are complex beings; we need manydifferent things. Being out in nature is always the best forrecharging me, and even more so when I make time tointentionally connect to it. Intentionally slowing downand connecting with nature are my best tools that helpme personally, because that is what my unique body andmind need.”Facebook: FlowForm Rehab & Physiotherapy; info@flowformrehab.com

Learning to listen to your own body’s wisdom

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Learning to listen to your own body’s wisdom

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