Before we dive into today's episode, I want to take two seconds to tell you about the Soul Shine Collective, my online community over on Skool. It is one of my favorite places on the internet, honestly. It's where women who are done playing small come together to do real inner work, to support each other's growth, and to live and breathe the kind of alignment we talk about here on the podcast.
There are two tiers — Aligned and Abundant — and the Abundant tier is where I'd love to have you. You get two live channeled calls with me each month, energy and manifestation guidance, and a deeply supportive space to grow. You also get my special summer series, Summer of Play, included. Now is the time to join before Summer of Play officially launches June 26th. And if you want to hop on board before then, my next channeled call is June 19th. Come on in. I'd love to have you there.
Okay. Let's get into this episode, because I have been waiting to record this one.
Can I tell you about a moment that completely changed the way I make decisions?
I was standing in my kitchen, running through a mental pros and cons list about something — a business decision, an opportunity, something that on paper looked really good. Logically, it made total sense. All the boxes were checked. And yet there was this thing happening in my chest. This tight, low-grade, almost imperceptible squeeze every time I thought about saying yes.
And I remember thinking: that's probably just anxiety. That's probably just me being scared. Push through it anyway.
So I said yes. And I regretted it almost immediately. Not because it was a catastrophe — but because my body already knew. It already had the answer. And I had spent so many years overriding that knowing — calling it fear, calling it resistance, calling it being dramatic — that I had completely forgotten how to listen.
This is Episode 2 of The Return, my six-part series about coming home to yourself. Last week, we talked about why slowing down is actually the highest frequency move you can make. If you haven't listened to that one yet, I encourage you to go back — it's Episode 58, and it's a really beautiful place to start.
Today, we are going somewhere deeper. We are going into your body. Think Magic School Bus — all aboard. Because here's the truth I had to learn the hard way: your body is not a vehicle for your mind. Your body is a compass. And it has been giving you guidance your entire life, whether you've been listening or not.
Hey, beautiful soul. Welcome back to Aligned and Abundant. I'm Christine Marcario — intuitive teacher, Reiki master teacher, spiritual life coach, and the host of this podcast that I love so much.
If you're new here, welcome. I'm so glad you found your way. This is Episode 2 of The Return, a six-part series I created because I kept seeing the same thing over and over in the women I work with, in the community, in myself. We know so much. We've read the books. We've done the journaling. We've set the intentions. And still something feels off — muted, running in the background, like we're living just a little bit outside of ourselves.
This series is about coming back in. All the way in.
And today, that means talking about somatic wisdom — which is a fancy way of saying the intelligence that lives inside your body. That felt sense. The knowing that doesn't come from your brain — it comes from your gut, your chest, your throat, your bones.
We are going to talk about what this is, why so many of us have lost touch with it, how to start reconnecting, and why this might honestly be the missing piece in your manifestation and alignment practice.
And as always — this work is so much richer when you don't do it alone. The Soul Shine Collective is full of women who are on this exact journey, and having a community to process this stuff with makes all the difference. Link is in the show notes if you want to come find your tribe.
So let's start with the word somatic — because I know it can sound a little clinical, and I want to demystify it right away.
Somatic literally just means "of the body." Somatic wisdom is the intelligence that lives in your physical body. Not your thinking mind — your body. Your nervous system. Your gut. The sensations and signals your body sends you constantly, whether you're paying attention or not.
And here's what blew my mind when I first really started studying this: your body has its own nervous system, sometimes called the "second brain." The gut literally processes information and communicates with your brain bidirectionally — meaning your brain is also responding to your gut. It is a two-way street.
Science has been catching up to what spiritual traditions have known forever: the body knows things. It registers truth and misalignment at a physiological level. Before your conscious mind has processed something, your body has already responded.
You've felt this. The stomach drop when something feels wrong. The chest opening when something feels right. The tension in your shoulders around someone whose energy doesn't match yours. The way your whole body relaxes when you walk into a space that feels safe.
That is your somatic intelligence. That is your inner compass. And for most of us, we were never taught to use it.
We were taught to think our way through things — logic, data, pros and cons lists. I used to be the queen of them. What makes sense on paper. And those tools do have their place — I'm not anti-logic, I promise. But when they become the only tool, and we've completely disconnected from the felt sense in our body, we lose access to one of the most powerful forms of guidance we have.
Here's what I think happened for most of us — and I want to say this with so much love, because this is not about blame.
From a very young age, most of us were taught — directly or indirectly — that our feelings were inconvenient. That our instincts were overreactions. That what we felt in our body was less trustworthy than what the adults around us said was true.
How many of us grew up hearing things like: "You're being too sensitive." Or "You're fine. Stop." Or "Stop crying — there's nothing to be upset about." Oof. Triggers.
When a child says something feels wrong and an adult says "No, it doesn't" — the child doesn't conclude that the adult is wrong. The child concludes that their own felt experience is wrong. That they can't trust themselves. That what they feel in their body is not a reliable source of information.
And over time — over years of that — we develop this habit of overriding. Of dismissing. Of intellectualizing the feeling instead of listening to it.
And then we grow up, and we wonder why we can't hear our intuition. Why we second-guess every decision. Why we lie awake at night with that low-grade sense that something is off, but we can't quite put our finger on it.
It's because we've been trained to ignore the very system that was designed to guide us.
And I want to take a moment here to acknowledge: if this is resonating with you, if you're realizing that you've been disconnected from your body's signals for a long time — that is not a character flaw. That was an adaptation. That was you surviving in environments where it wasn't safe to feel. And healing that? That is some of the most sacred inner work there is.
Okay, so here's where this gets really exciting — especially if you're on any kind of manifestation or alignment journey, which I think you are if you're listening to this podcast.
In Episode 1 of this series last week, I talked about how your nervous system is the bridge between your spiritual practice and your lived experience. I want to go deeper on that today, because I think this is genuinely one of the most underutilized pieces of the whole manifestation puzzle.
Here's what I mean: most of us approach manifestation from the neck up. We think the thoughts. We say the affirmations. We write the vision in our journal. We visualize. All of that is beautiful, and all of it does have value. But if the body — specifically the nervous system — isn't on board? If there's a part of you that doesn't actually feel safe receiving what you're asking for? The affirmations don't land, no matter how many times you say them. The vision will continue to stay on the page.
This is why you can write "I am abundant" a hundred times and still feel contracted and scared around money. Because the belief that you're safe to be abundant hasn't registered in your body yet. Your nervous system is still braced. Still waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Your body needs to feel what you're trying to create. Not just think it. Not just intend it — feel it. In your cells. In your chest. In the relaxation of your shoulders and the steadiness of your breath.
And this is why somatic practices — breathwork, movement, body scans, even just pausing and asking "what do I feel right now?" — are not fluff. They are not extra credit. They are the foundation. They are how you make the inner work actually land.
This is also why community and support matter so much in this process. Because your nervous system co-regulates with other nervous systems. Being in a room — or on a Zoom, or in a Skool community — with other women who are doing this work, who are grounded and open and safe, literally helps your own nervous system settle. That's not woo. That's biology. And it's one of the reasons I love the Soul Shine Collective so much — the community is part of the medicine. Link is in the show notes if you want to come find your people.
Okay, time to get really practical — because I know some of you are thinking: "Sounds amazing, Christine, but how do I actually do this? I've been in my head my whole life. I don't know how to access this."
I hear you. And I want to give you five very specific, very doable ways that your body speaks — so you can start recognizing the language.
Number one: The gut response.
This is the most famous one — going with your gut. But here's what I want to say about it: the gut response often happens fast. Really fast. Before your brain has time to even register it sometimes, before you've run through all the reasons why something could go wrong.
Someone asks you something and your first response — before you think — is either a contraction or an expansion. It's either an "ugh, no" or a "yes." That first flash? That is your somatic compass. The thinking that comes after is often just your brain trying to talk you out of what your body already knows.
Start noticing your very first response to things. Before the logic. Before the should. Just the first felt sense.
Number two: Constriction versus expansion.
When you think about something — a decision, a person, an opportunity — does your body feel like it's opening or closing?
Expansion feels like a breath, a release, a gentle yes, a softening in the chest or belly. Like something in you is leaning toward.
Constriction feels like a tightening, a holding, a brace, a heaviness. Like something in you is pulling back.
Neither one is bad. Constriction doesn't always mean no. Sometimes it means "not yet" or "I need to feel safer first." But it is information. And learning to read it is how you start navigating from the inside out.
Number three: The energy drain versus the energy gain.
Pay attention to what happens in your body after you spend time with certain people, certain activities, certain commitments. Do you feel lighter and more alive? Or do you feel depleted, flat, drained?
Your energy is a sophisticated reporting system. It's telling you what's aligned and what's costing you more than it's giving back. And for a lot of high-achieving, over-functioning women, we've gotten really good at pushing through the drain. At ignoring the signal until it becomes burnout, resentment, or chronic illness.
Start asking: after that, did I feel more like myself or less?
Number four: The throat and voice.
Notice what happens in your throat when you're about to say something that isn't true for you. A tightening. A constriction. Like the words don't want to come out.
And notice what happens when you get to say something that is deeply, completely true — there's an opening, a spark, a joy, clarity, sometimes even emotion. Because truth has that effect.
When you're living in alignment — when your outer life matches your inner truth — expression feels easy. When it doesn't, your body sounds the alarm right there in your throat.
Number five: Sleep and the body's quiet signals.
Pay attention to how you sleep when something in your life is off. The middle-of-the-night wake-ups. The restless dreams. The way you wake up already tense, already braced for the day.
Your body processes during sleep what you couldn't face during the day. Those signals — the ones that come at 3 AM — are often the truest ones. Not anxiety. Information.
What is your body trying to tell you that your waking mind keeps overriding?
Okay, so now let's talk about how to actually rebuild this connection. Because knowing that your body is a compass is one thing — being able to access it, especially if you've been living from the neck up for a long time, is another.
Here are three practices that I love and that I've seen work really beautifully.
Practice one: The body check-in.
This is so simple it almost feels too simple — and that's how I know it works. Multiple times a day, you just stop and ask: "What am I feeling in my body right now?"
Not emotionally, not mentally — physically. Where do you feel it? Is it in your chest, your belly, your throat, your shoulders? Does it feel tight or open, heavy or light?
You don't need to fix anything. You just need to notice. Let your awareness travel into your body instead of staying up in your head. Even 10 seconds of this a few times a day starts to rebuild the bridge.
Practice two: The yes/no calibration.
Find something that is a clear, definitive yes for you — something you love, something undeniably true. Maybe it's a food you love, or your kid's face, or your favorite place on earth.
Hold that in your mind and notice what happens in your body. Really feel into it. That's your body's yes signal.
Then find something that's a clear no — something you absolutely do not want, something that isn't true. Notice the difference. Really feel it.
Now you have a baseline. Now you can bring actual decisions into that same awareness and ask your body: does this feel more like the yes, or more like the no? This is such a wonderful and easy practice you can use every single day.
Practice three: Breathwork as a body bridge.
When you breathe consciously — slowly, deeply, into your belly — you are directly activating your parasympathetic nervous system. You are physically signaling to your body that it is safe. And when your nervous system settles, your body's signals get clearer. The static quiets. The compass becomes readable.
You don't need a 20-minute session. Even three slow breaths — in for four, hold for four, out for seven — before a decision, before a conversation, or before you journal, changes your entire physiological state. And it changes what you're able to access.
And if you want support actually putting these practices into your life — having someone reflect back what they're seeing in you, working through what comes up — that is exactly the kind of work we do together in one-on-one coaching. The link is always in the show notes.
I want to take a moment here to say something I think some of you really need to hear.
Trusting your body is a spiritual practice.
For a lot of women in spiritual spaces, we've been taught — sometimes very subtly — that the body is the thing we transcend. That spiritual growth means rising above the physical. That the goal is to be more in your soul and less in your body.
And I want to lovingly, firmly push back on that.
Your body is not a limitation to transcend. Your body is a sacred instrument. It is the vehicle through which your soul experiences this earth. It is the antenna through which your intuition speaks. And it is the home your spirit chose for this lifetime.
When you learn to listen to your body — really listen, with curiosity and tenderness and respect — you are not bypassing the spiritual. You are, in fact, deepening it.
You are coming home.
And that is what this whole series is about. The return. Not to some idealized version of yourself. Not to who you think you should be. Back to the actual truth of you — the version that's been here all along, waiting patiently for you to stop running long enough to arrive.
Your body has been waiting for you. She's been talking to you this whole time. And it is never too late to start listening.
Okay, beautiful soul. Before we close — your action step for this week.
Every episode of The Return ends with one simple, doable thing you can practice right now. This week: do a body check-in three times a day — morning, midday, and evening. Stop, close your eyes, take one breath, and ask: What do I feel in my body right now, here in this moment? And then listen. Don't try to fix anything. Don't overanalyze anything. Just notice.
And if you want to go one step further, write it down. Even one sentence. "My chest feels tight." "My belly is calm." "There's something in my shoulders today."
This practice will begin to teach you a new language — the language your body has been speaking your whole life. And over time, with practice and patience, that language gets clearer and clearer and clearer. Until one day you realize you haven't second-guessed yourself in weeks, because you can already feel what's true.
That is coming home to yourself. That is the return to you.
Okay, beautiful soul. That is Episode 2 of this series. Thank you for being here. Thank you for choosing yourself today by showing up for this work.
Episode 3 is coming next week, and we are going somewhere really tender and really powerful. We're going to talk about the things you've been carrying that were never yours to begin with — the identities, the stories, the roles you took on — and how to lovingly put them down. It's going to be a good one. Make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss it.
If this episode meant something to you, will you share it? Leave a review, send it to a friend, post it to your stories and tag me — I'm @christine.marcario.coach — because the woman in your life who's been living in her head and ignoring her body? She needs to hear this too.
And if you're not on my email list yet, come join us. Every week I'm dropping extra tools, reflections, and soulful goodies over there that I don't share anywhere else. The link is always in the show notes.
I love you so much. I'm so proud of you for showing up for you. And I will see you on the next episode.
Until then — stay aligned, stay abundant, and remember: your body already knows the way home.
I'm Christine Marcario. This is Aligned and Abundant. Bye for now.
