Educational articles

Marija Zamarytė

Body intelligence is an internal bodily logic, inherently geared toward homeostasis - a state of balance and harmony. This means that, in cases of illness, fear, or crisis, this inner structure seeks the optimal way to help the human body find inner order and harmony.

To some extent, our body responds to the mind: if we have an idea or mental image, the body follows. It releases hormones and activates glands, like the stomach or salivary glands, at the mere thought of, say, a glass of lemon juice. And yet, this isn’t reality; it’s just an image created by the mind! In a real crisis, if a person seeks a solution, the body may suggest it - provided the mind isn’t over - controlling. In such cases, we can intuitively sense answers well before the mind fully understands the situation. The body senses and provides responses: yes or no, act or don’t act, move or stay still. In this way, we can use the body as a tool, an instrument.

How to listen to what the body says?

For me, first and foremost, it helps to cultivate a sense of clarity and cleanliness - a feeling of lightness, fluidity, and sensitivity to the environment. If I feel any kind of "pollution," such as issues with lymph, stomach, or other disturbances, I understand that the body is occupied with other matters, not my creative visions.

Second is temporarily minimizing the dominance of the mind over the body. Practices like meditation help “turn off” the mind briefly and escape the flow of thoughts. With a clear mind, I can sense entirely different internal criteria and parameters.

Third is listening to the body as a whole. We usually focus on specific areas of pain, but when we perceive the body as a whole, self-healing processes work better, and harmony within the body is more apparent. In my view, intuition also works much more powerfully this way. This is why “unfocused” attention and whole - body awareness help me.

If all three of these elements are in place, the body sends certain signals - either a feeling of expansion or contraction. A sense of expansion occurs when the body relaxes and seems to open up, embracing the potential or future we are thinking about or meditating on. Conversely, a rejection signal manifests as a contraction, a heavy feeling in the stomach or lower abdomen.

I believe that our body is perfectly capable of finding sources of surplus energy to lead us toward homeostasis. We need to trust it and listen when it says, “There is a lot of energy here, but little energy there.” Embrace the body as wisdom. Don’t push it away. The body isn’t just a vehicle for the mind.

Excerpt from the Radio (Žinių radijas) programme "The Future Gene": “Women Entrepreneurs: do we know how to use body intelligence?” hosted by Rasa Baltė Balčiūnienė