We’re all living through a traumatic time, whether we acknowledge it or not.

Global pandemic. Civil unrest. Systemic oppression. Fires. Hurricanes.

Back to school. Back to work. Back to school and work for many parents and caregivers who have kids in online learning.

Multitasking roles. Hours on zoom. Hours on the computer. We’re moving along but are our bodies adjusting?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned during this time (because I was semi-forced to learn it) since we’ve been staying and working from home since March is how important it is to listen to our bodies.

There were days this season when I felt uber productive and other days when the biggest task was to get out of bed. I even tried to make a routine to help me stay productive; however, there were days where my body did not agree with my tasks for the day.

We hear the news. We hear the media. But do we hear our bodies?

Our bodies know us. Our bodies tell us if we need a break or if we can keep pushing forward.

We learn how to ignore our bodies, but we can also learn how to listen our bodies.

How can we learn to listen to our bodies?

One of the fundamental concepts of trauma-informed yoga is becoming aware of to our body’s cues. When you are in one pose, the instructor would guide you through reflective questions like:

- What are you feeling?
- Does your body feel warm?
- Does your body feel tight?
- Is your heart racing or slowing down?

Increasing your awareness creates a stronger connection to your body. The stronger connection you have with your body, the more likely you are to hear your body’s voice.

Are you listening to your body? Are you listening to your kids’ bodies? We learn how to ignore our bodies, but we can also learn how to listen our bodies. And now is the time to start learning.