I just finished reading and reviewing Christopher Edgar’s new book Inner Productivity, a mindful path to efficiency and enjoyment in your work. It’s all about getting quiet, getting focused, getting past the resistance, fear, distractions that keep us from moving forward and feeling positive and sure about the work we do. What makes Chris’s book different than other career advice books is his focus on the inside, on the impulse we have to distract ourselves or complain about our situation, and our willingness to be unhappy or dispassionate about what we do.
A constant theme in Inner Productivity is the mind-body connection. Although most of us do work that requires more of our minds than our bodies, Chris argues you can’t get a quiet mind without being attuned to your body. We store all kinds of stress and hurts and pain in our bodies… we ignore them at our own peril.
I think that’s fascinating. Last summer, I attended an art and wine festival with the super sparkly Terre Pruitt, and I met a friend of hers who is a professional belly dancer. I was so excited to talk to her. Since I know nothing about belly dancing, I asked question after question until she screamed for me to please go away. Okay, no, she didn’t. She was nice, but here’s the part of our conversation that struck me.
I asked about the belly roll. “I can’t imagine having such control over my body,” I said. “Can’t imagine being able to single out the necessary muscles and move them in such a flowing, coordinated, precise way.”
“You could do it,” she told me, “but you might not want to.”
When I asked her why, she said that people store their experiences in their body without realizing it. Sometimes when they begin to work deep down inside themselves – not in their psyches but in their bodies – they find themselves coming apart a little, emotions are released, sometimes out of context. It can be very frightening.
No kidding!
But I believe her. I know that sometimes when I’m stressed and do yoga, I really do try to breathe into the parts of my body that are tight. (Which, in less woo-woo terms, just means I focus on those areas while I breathe.) Breathing becomes very conscious, body awareness is high. Without giving any thought to the external causes of my stress, I feel it begin to dissipate. I feel myself relax, become grounded. It’s one of the reasons I love yoga and want to pursue it much more seriously in 2010. (I also want to figure out how to maintain that release it gives me. Right now, for example, despite the yoga-induced calm I felt this morning, I can feel all my stress in my shoulders, neck and head. Sigh…)
I will be doing more posts about this, because I’d like to understand it better – how the mind and body interact. For now, I’d just like to hear what you think. Has your mind ever healed your body, or hurt it? Has exercise or diet ever cleared your head?
To read my review of Chris Edgar’s book, click here.
Oh, and starting 2010 off right, Chris is doing a reading in my neck of the woods tonight, so I get to meet him in person. Woo-hoo!
Wild
That book does sound fascinating — and it sounds like one I need to read! I want to be ‘sparkly’ like Terre :-) The belly dancer’s comments struck me because I actually tend to really let go when I’m dancing and feel no tension in my body (that I can recall). I think it’s some connection to music — without music I cannot move the same way. Although, well, I guess that’s my Mind responding to the music — so there is a Mind/Body connection right there. It also fascinates me how much more energy I have when I am looking forward to seeing someone. When I’m in love I’d swear I could probably break a bone and say “oh, it’s not that bad” haha Great pain reducer for me :-) I need to find a way to bottle that up!! Thanks for the recommendation on the book — I will check out your review!
Sounds very interesting! I used to get that sort of relaxing feel good feeling when I exercised, became addicted to exercising sort of. Now though, I can’t seem to re-capture that feeling with exercise, don’t know why. I just started doing yoga again and I’m beginning to feel better, maybe it will work for me the same way the eliptical used to. Dunno, maybe I need to read this book! Thanks for sharing!
So sorry, J, I got sucked back into the Twitter-Vortex again before leaving a comment. Oh, now that I’ve apologized, here’s a *big hug* per Becky’s post today. ;-) I definitely believe in the mind-body connection. For me, stress or anxiety tend to bring on migraines. And following Fluffy’s advice for 2 to 1 proteins to carbs helps me mentally as well as physically. It’s all connected. “Talk” to you soon.
Ahh, J. Yet another fascinating facet to know about you. Good stuff. I’ve not done any yoga but I do some meditations that do focus on breathing – heck, maybe that IS the definition of yoga!
Anyway, being an Alaska guy I love frozen yoga. It’s got a lot less calories than ice cream and the flavors these days are… Wha? Sheesh. There I go getting all mixed up again.
Seriously tho. Can’t deny the mind/body connection. Lately I’ve been experimenting with EFT as well (tapping) and it’s been an interesting journey.
So, I’m off to check out the book.
Cheers
George
Oh, I love being mentioned in your post and being mentioned as super sparkly. Wow! I am really super sparkly right now. I am shining with joy and happiness.
The mind/body (or in Nia we go the other way – body/mind) is HUGE. In Nia we go to the body first, so we call it body/mind. I have not had participants cry in my class, but I have heard that it happens. Sometimes when people really are able to just keep the mind quiet and let the body move as it was designed to move, it does release a lot of emotions and all kinds of stress and hurts and pain.
I applaud you in your quest for a better connection. One that you can keep with you through your day after you are done with your workout.
I look forward to the day when you join me at a Nia class. I have faith, it will happen. :-)
I too have experienced that mind/body connection, especially in Yoga with the breathing and relaxation. My favorite time to zone is when I skate (ice or roller) in a rink – something about that endless circling (although I occasionally have to unzone to avoid obstacles). It’s the time I totally relax and feel completely free.
Crazy eh! must be the Canuck in me.
The book sounds good, must read because J. recommended it. And I love reading all you “sparkly” peoples comments, keep them coming.
Carey, It’s not just you. Love does that to everyone. That’s why it’s better to have love and lost. ;-)
Caroline, I had lost it too, my love-obsession with exercise. But yoga, I’m finding, is making me look forward to workouts. And my dog has to be walked, so that’s helpful (I say, as I, grumbling, prepare to walk her in 43 degree weather).
Dani, the 2-1 protein to carbs thing is helping me too. No more middle-of-the-day lag! I’m loving that!
George, I had to google EFT. That’s fascinating. I bookmarked a site. I’ll be checking it out.
Terre, your reaction to being called sparkly is why you’re sparkly! Yes, our Nia day will come. I think. Maybe. ;-)
Mairi, I totally get why skating would give you that feeling. Like being at your most creative when you’re driving, when your body is in motion but not requiring your undivided attention. Oh, and yeah. Canuck.
Excited about exploring the book as the Mind Body connection is viable and powerful. Some of my best thoughts and revelations emerge after a focused work out. There are times (with the release of endorphins) that I experience a profound high that lifts me above the mundane routines of daily life.
Thanks for another thought provoking post my dear friend.
Your post comes at a time that I’m sitting and looking at the Topa Topa mountains, feeling the spring air, and watching the blooms and lush jungle of my mother’s garden. No, Judy, I’m not in Fresno anymore.
Everytime I go back to Ojai (and Santa Barbara, too, when I visit), my spirits lift and my back pain (I had back surgery and still have a bulging disc) goes away. Plus there is a dark dread that looms over me while in Fresno that I can’t shake. I suffer all kinds of ailments besides back pain. But come here and it all goes away. Every single time.
So, yes I believe we store pain and suffering inside our bodies. Since I am unhappy in my “place”, it attacks my body. And since I can’t move due to financial reasons (I earn no money, so moving where it cost a million dollars for a shack is out of the question), I need to read that book.
How did you know exactly what I was feeling and thinking today? :-)
Hi Judy — I really enjoyed this review, and meeting you last night at EastWest. I think that’s a great description of what can happen in moments when we’re acutely aware of our bodies — the tension can pass away no matter how grim our mental story is about all the demands and stresses in our lives.
Oh, and one “erratum”: After you left, I realized that I signed your book “to Judy,” but you actually wanted me to use someone else’s name. I’ll send along a correctly autographed copy.
Thanks again. Best, CE
Marsha, I love this: “There are times (with the release of endorphins) that I experience a profound high that lifts me above the mundane routines of daily life.” I get that sometimes after a great writing session too. ;-)
Tricia, How frustrating to know what would fix you and be unable to make it so. I’m just figuring out how much… stuff… I carry in my body without knowing. The tightness and discomfort and fatigue starts to feel normal, right? Yoga, baby. Try it.
Chris! We passed in the ether. That’s sweet, but it’s okay about the book. My friend was happy just the same, and I wanted to contribute to your sales! It was awesome meeting you!
Wow. This post and the comments read like a map of touchstones for me. You know some of my story babe, and not going to vomit it out here in public for all to experience…laughing…but I fully fully believe that the body stores up emotional hurts. Releasing them can be really frightening and sometimes even almost unhinging…but if you don’t do it you live your life in pain.
This was an awesome way to start my day. Thank you.
hugs!
Karen :0)
Brilliant j! Wish I could come up with something clever to say, but… brilliant I think describes it.
The wine festival is the same time this year if you guys are interested :) We can have a wine festival tweet up. I won’t be volunteering nor be sick this year so perhaps I will live up to some of my famous past headlines:
“He’s fun, but hardly legal” – Boston Trib
“It was like watching a train accident” – WSJ
“We’ve reported you to the cops. Quit calling us!” – Mercury
Will be looking for Chris’s book. Body-mind connection is powerful, efficiency & enjoyment a wonderful goal in work! Just ask me if you want to know if something will help. Well a few days ago you could have asked me so I thought. I had a wow moment that lasted 2 days! 52 & admit to not knowing the answers. Let’s figure some of this out together on Twitter & Zebra Sounds!
Karen, Thank you. Your liking the post means a bunch to me. Endorphin-releasing hugs to you, pretty woman.
Becky, Well, I can’t ask for better than brilliant. :-)
John, Absolutely, but if you’re sick this time, you will spend the rest of the year making it up to me. Just sayin’. (Love those headlines.)
Sue, If we can’t figure it out on Twitter and ZS, it may be an unsolvable question. I want to hear your wow moment!
Have you ever had a gut response for years once you were hurt by something big? yes, right? Well, my wow was when faced with same stimulus, I was calm, numb with no pain! Wow, I thought. And this was no small stimulus. It was close up and in my face! I have been concentrating on non-judging, compassion, love for all and thought my non-reaction was a direct result! You can work much better when not complicated by pain which can manifest in body & mind! 2 days is better than none, right? lol #workinprogress
Sue, yes! That’s amazing. I’ve been wondering how much of what I think of as true about myself is only true because I’ve labeled myself that way. Like the shyness. I’ve been much less shy since I simply decided I didn’t want to be that girl anymore. Not always, but sometimes, that’s enough to move me forward.
Obviously, this topic needs further exploration!
Uh, wow, that’s awesome that the author commented here . . . now , I really, really have to get the book!
Ha! Well, in fairness, I told him to check the blog when I met him in person, and sent him an email to remind him. Because of the restraining order, I did not pitch a tent outside his door. ;-)
I’m heading over to Amazon to check out this book right now as I’m always looking for ways to become more focused. Writing is my activity of choice and I find it can not only clear my head, but resolve tension and small aches and pains. I’m a terrible yoga slacker, though it appeals to me greatly. But maybe I’m just afraid of going deep. Hmmm….
Hi, Charlotte! It’s true than when I get into a creative place, I don’t feel any of that body tension. But that definitely doesn’t last. In fact, my decidedly unergonomic office set up means sometimes, afterward, I feel worse! Physically (not menatally – nothing beats a writing high.)
Still true — this, mind/body connection. I’ve become more aware when I feel myself slipping into “the dark” that I need to stop, walk away from my mind, get on the treadmill, do something physical. It’s only temporary mind you, when you are in “the dark”, you need more than physical exercise to come out of it. But it’s a start. I’ve had this talk (lecture) with my therapist. I’d like to write about it more but I’m not ready for full disclosure into this thing I refer to as “the dark”. It’s complicated. It’s tricky. It’s confusing. But, you were the first to talk to me about mind/body connection — it’s real, and exercising our body to right our minds is helpful.