Happy Human 3.0: What Changes When We Treat The Body As Wise

What if your overwhelm is intelligence at work, not evidence you’re failing? We take a brave, gentle walk from thinking about the nervous system to feeling it—treating sensations as messages instead of mistakes. Along the way, we unpack how biology, not willpower, shapes anxiety, shutdown, panic, and burnout, and why shame loosens when we see stress hormones as messengers calling for care.

Together we explore the quiet power of presence. Short guided practices help the body feel seen: noticing contact points, resting the gaze on something neutral or pleasant, and placing a hand over the heart to say, “I am here.” These moments aren’t hacks to force calm; they’re invitations that let safety become a felt sense. With repetition, attention turns regulating, urgency softens, and the system remembers it doesn’t have to shout to be heard.

We also tackle identity. The story “something is wrong with me” often forms from culture and misunderstanding, then colors every feeling. We offer a new story: the body is wise. Shifting language from “I am anxious” to “my body feels anxious right now” protects dignity, creates space for choice, and builds trust over time. Partnership replaces productivity as the measure. Some days need rest, some movement, some closeness, some space. There is no right state—only honest ones.

If you’ve been pushing through signals like a tripped circuit breaker, consider this your invitation to listen differently. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs a softer story about their body, and leave a review telling us which practice helped you feel a little more at home in yourself.

Transcript

From Map To Felt Experience

Saundra 0:05

Welcome to Happy Human 3.0. I'm really glad you've joined us for episode two. Wherever you're listening from right now, could be your kitchen, your car, your couch, your office. Please know this space was created just for you. Not for fixing, not for improving, not for becoming something better, but for remembering something true.

Rakesh 0:32

Well said, Saundra. And Sandra, it's so nice to join you on this podcast. This is Rekesh. And in our last episode, we talked about the operating system of the nervous system. We mapped it. We named it. We gave language to something that has been quietly shaping our lives. So today we begin something quite different, Saundra. Today we begin feeling it, not just thinking about it, not just analyzing it, but gently allowing ourselves to notice what it feels like to live inside our nervous system. I gotta say, that's a brave thing to do because most of us were never taught how to feel our bodies safely. Oh, sure, we were taught how to override it, push through it, outperform it. So if part of you feels hesitant right now, and perhaps even curious but cautious, interested but in unsure, well, that makes sense. While I'm here with someone who's devoted her life to reminding people that their bodies are not the enemy that overwhelms them, it's not a failure. That there's nothing about us that is broken.

Saundra 1:54

Such an important point, Rakesh. And thank you. I am so grateful to be here with you and our listeners. And I want to speak directly to those who've joined us today. This is so important. If you've ever felt like, well, you're too much, too sensitive, too emotional, too anxious, too tired, too overwhelmed, I want you to hear what I'm about to gently say. Nothing about that means you're broken. It means, look, you have a nervous system. We all do. It has learned how to survive. And survival, well, it's not a flaw, it's intelligence. Today, let's remember it's not about fixing anything, it's about befriending the part of you that has been working so very hard to keep you safe.

Rakesh 2:53

I just love that word, Saundra, the word being befriending. And so many people come into therapy or medicine with one quiet question underneath everything. And the question is, what's wrong with me? And today, we're turning that question around. What if the real question is, what has my nervous system been trying to do for me? What if overwhelm or the other things we mentioned is not a malfunction, but a message. It's trying to get our attention.

Overwhelm As Intelligent Protection

Saundra 3:30

Yes. This is the pivot point, Rakesh. In episode one, we gave our listeners a map. So now let's help them coexist with it from a place of kindness and compassion. Overwhelm, just like you said, it's not chaos, it's communication. It's the nervous system saying, something feels like it's just too much. Something feels unsafe. This reminds me of something that once hurt. But instead of responding with curiosity, we've been taught to respond with judgment. So we think to ourselves, just like you said, Rakesh, what's wrong with me? Why can't I handle this? Why am I like this? Listen, the nervous system doesn't speak in words, it speaks through sensations. We feel things like tightness, restlessness, numbness, exhaustion. It speaks through the body.

Rakesh 4:41

It speaks to the body, and learning how to listen to the body, Saundra, has been a new passion for me. So today, instead of interpreting these sensations from our body as personal failure, let's invite our listeners to interpret them as information. No, not something to conquer, but something to listen to. I think that's a pretty radical shift because most of us have spent our lives trying to outrun our nervous system.

Saundra 5:12

And listen, Rakesh, that's a race that none of us ever wins. Overwhelm is what happens when the nervous system detects more demand than it feels resourced to meet. It's not weakness, it's biology. Let's do this. Let's imagine a circuit breaker in our home. When there's too much current flowing, what happens? Well, it trips, not because it's defective, but because it's protecting the system. Our nervous systems work exactly the same way. Overwhelm is a kind of internal circuit breaker.

Rakesh 5:53

I've never heard that before. I never have. Obviously, I've looked at overwhelm as a failure, but I think what you're telling me is it's in fact a pretty intelligent internal circuit breaker. But the truth is culturally we do treat these feelings of overwhelm as something shameful. And we are praised in our culture for pushing through it, powering on, never slowing down. But you know the nervous system doesn't experience that as a strength. It actually experiences it as danger.

Saundra 6:33

And when we override overwhelm again and again, this is what the body hears. My signals don't matter. My boundaries aren't important. My safety, it's not relevant. So what happens? The nervous system then speaks louder and louder. And it speaks through anxiety, panic, illness, just full system collapse, exhaustion. And it's not to punish us, but to protect us.

Rakesh 7:09

Yeah, you're so right. So when someone says I'm anxious and I'm burnt out, I'm overwhelmed, you know what they're really saying? My nervous system has been trying to get my attention.

Saundra 7:21

Yes, that's exactly right, Rikesh. And our job, it's not always to quiet the nervous system. Sometimes it's simply to listen without fear. Because when the body feels heard, something wonderful happens. It often softens on its own.

Rakesh 7:43

Saundra, that feels like a different relationship with the body. So not command and control, but conversation.

Saundra 7:53

Yes, that's it, Rakesh. Let's think about the nervous system this way. It's relational, it responds to tone, to pacing, to safety, to permission. It's not a machine to fix, it is a living system to meet.

Rakesh 8:15

So for anyone listening who feels unsafe in their body, who feels like their body is the problem, please do remember this. It's learned this somewhere.

Saundra 8:28

And like we've said, this isn't an act of betrayal, but protection. And the fact that all of you are listening right now means that a part of your system, it's already curious about safety. And listen, that's not a small thing, my friends. That's the beginning of relationship.

Rakesh 8:50

Beginning of a good relationship. So, folks, so instead of asking, how do I make this stop? We begin asking, how do I stay present with what's happening? Perhaps even how do I lean in and listen?

Presence Over Performance

Saundra 9:07

Oh, I love that Rakesh. Staying present in the moment. Presence is regulation, not forcing calm, not demanding change, but offering attention, truly listening. And attention, when it's gentle and steady, is one of the most regulating forces that we have.

Rakesh 9:33

Yeah, that must be true, Saundra. So let's pause for a second and give the body a small experience of awareness. Being noticed. Sandra, I would love for you to lead this practice.

Guided Practice: Noticing The Body

Saundra 9:47

Oh, yes, of course, Rakesh. I'd be happy to. Now, if you're driving, we invite you to come back to these practices later. Now you can certainly listen, but please keep your eyes on the road and stay safe. So together, let's take a deep breath in and settle into this moment. Invite your attention inward. Find a comfortable spot, either sitting or lying down. Let your gaze soften or close your eyes. Take another deep breath in through the nose and gently exhale through the mouth. Notice where your body makes contact. Your feet on the floor, your back against the chair, your hands resting in your lap. Allow the body to relax into this moment. Bringing attention to the body. No need to analyze. No need to fix. No need to change. Ask quietly. What is present in this moment? No matter what you notice, remember nothing to change. Nothing to do. Just notice. Bring attention to your breath. Notice the rise and fall of the belly. If your mind wanders, as it often does, gently return attention to the breath. Allow the nervous system to feel seen. To feel heard, to be noticed without demand. No matter what shows up in this moment, tension, anxiety, discomfort, say hello. All is welcome. Breathe into this moment of connection. Allow the body to soften, to relax. As we bring this practice to a close, let's take one intentional breath in and release it gently. I invite you to bring your awareness back into the room around you.

Rakesh 12:54

Oh, that was beautiful, Saundra. As you were leading us into this practice, I was right there with you. And yeah. As you said, allow your body to soften. I actually felt it. I actually felt it. The truth is, I'm so often disconnected with my body that a practice like this does bring me back in connection with it. So, folks, welcome back. What a beautiful practice of noticing. Thank you, Sandra. Meeting the body, maybe for the first time for some of us. Let's remember discomfort, overwhelm is not proof that we're failing. It's in fact proof that our nervous system is working in its own attempt to protect us. And it's working very hard to take care of us.

Saundra 13:54

Let's remember, you are not broken. Your nervous system is responding. And today you responded with curiosity. That's so powerful.

Biology Loosens Shame

Rakesh 14:07

Yes, it's actually an act of courage on your part, dear listener, and I'm proud of you. And now let's switch this conversation a little bit to looking at overwhelm as biology and not as personal failure. By the way, folks, you are listening to Happy Human 3.0 with Sandra and Rakesh Jan. We're just so glad you're here with us. So as we begin this section, I want to gently remind you: nothing here is about effort. Nothing is about doing this right, whatever the heck right is. Now it's time to understand something deeply human, something deeply humanly important, especially to those of us who are believers in Happy Human 3.0. And letting this understanding soften the way we meet ourselves. So earlier we named something radical, that we're not broken. Our nervous system is just responding to today's modern-day stresses. Now we explore why, not philosophically, but biologically. Because when people understand overwhelm as biology, shame loosens its grip on us. Self-blame softens, and curiosity becomes possible. So Sandra, when you think about overwhelm through a biological lens, what do you want people to know?

Saundra 15:44

Great question, Rakesh. I want people to know that overwhelm, it's not a personality trait. It's not who you are. It's not a flaw. It's a state of our nervous system. And states change when conditions change. This is very good news. Our bodies are always asking: Am I safe? Am I resourced? Am I supported? And when the answer feels uncertain, the nervous system jumps in and prepares for survival. That preparation, well, that's what we call overwhelm.

Rakesh 16:22

So overwhelm isn't the problem, then, is it, Saundra? It's more the signal.

Saundra 16:26

Ah, you got it right, Rakesh. Exactly. A signal that demand feels greater than support. Not emotionally, but physiologically. The body doesn't think, oh, I should be able to handle this. It simply kicks into action. It responds.

Rakesh 16:46

Yeah, so the body doesn't shame itself. We shame ourselves. The body's only responding with precision. And then the mind comes in later and turns biology into identity, right?

Saundra 17:00

Exactly right. The nervous system basically says, I need protection. Then the mind follows, just like you said, Rakesh, with this, I'm failing. Those are not the same thing.

Rakesh 17:15

No, they're not. So let's talk about how the body protects us. Most people think only a fight, a flight. But there's so much more nuance, right?

Saundra 17:27

Yes, there truly is. Sometimes the nervous system mobilizes, and we call that anxiety, restlessness, a sense of urgency. And sometimes it slows us down. Well, that shows up as fatigue, numbness, withdrawal. And sometimes it simply freezes. We experience fogginess. We feel stuck. We feel disconnected. Remember, these are not malfunctions, they're strategies.

Rakesh 17:57

These are strategies that we have learned, right?

Saundra 18:01

Absolutely. Your nervous system, our nervous systems, they're great historians. They remember what's kept us safe in the past. And it uses that memory to guide us in the present.

Rakesh 18:16

So I guess when someone says, I don't know why I react like this, it seems like they're really saying the following.

Saundra 18:27

Beautifully stated, Rakesh, because the body always knows. We just haven't learned yet how to listen without fear.

Rakesh 18:37

Yeah, that's very true for me. So I guess when people see their symptoms as meaningful instead of defective, dignity returns and shame softens.

Saundra 18:51

I love that. Meaning restores dignity and shame softens. When overwhelm becomes communication instead of failure, uh, this is good news. The whole story changes. That is a beautiful thing, Rakesh.

Rakesh 19:08

That is a beautiful thing. It really is. I want to invite listeners to notice something quietly. Is there perhaps any part of you that feels different hearing that your body has been trying to protect you?

Saundra 19:26

Yes, we invite you. Just notice no right or wrong answers. Even neutrality, that's information.

Rakesh 19:35

Yeah. Can I tell you, Saundra, where I noticed it? I noticed it in my upper chest and in my jaws. They softened when I invited it to feel and think differently. So let's give the body a small experience of safety.

Guided Practice: Seeing And Settling

Saundra 19:53

Great idea, Rakesh. So again, a friendly reminder if you're driving, come back to the Practice later. You can listen now, keep your eyes on the road and stay safe. Let's take a moment and gently look around the space you're in. Let your eyes land on something neutral or pleasant. A color, a shape, a patch of light. Without analyzing it, just let your eyes rest. Our nervous systems are always scanning. Right now, we are offering it steadiness. Breathe into this moment. Allowing the body to settle.

Rakesh 20:52

Let's take a couple more minutes, folks, just to let the body settle. Yes. As I let my body settle, I was looking at a beautiful wood table in this room that I've never noticed before. It's got this gorgeous brown varnish on it, and I let my eyes settle on it as you recommended, Sandra. And I just was lost in it. And as I did that, my body actually did settle. So thank you, Sandra. And I would like to ask our audience members, did you notice your breath change? Even slightly during the practice, like I did. I found that my breathing did slow down. Or did you notice anything in your shoulders? Did they relax and stop being bunched up around our ears? So the whole goal here is not to evaluate, but to notice.

Saundra 22:07

Even leading the practice, my shoulders softened, and there was a lightness and the invitation to simply notice. This is biology responding to perception, not thought, no effort.

Rakesh 22:24

True people often do say, hey, I understand this intellectually, but I still feel overwhelmed. And I would say this to you: that isn't a contradiction. That's biology being honest.

Saundra 22:40

Yes, understanding. It's cortical, it's the thinking part of the brain. Safety's something different. That's subcortical, what we often call the lizard part of the brain. And we can explain safety with words endlessly, time and time again. But the body must experience it. It must be a felt sense of safety.

Rakesh 23:10

That's so important, Saundra, especially for someone like me who spend this entire lifetime being in my head. And even though my body carries my head around this world, I have been divorced from it. And what you're suggesting, what you are educating on, is really a reconnection. And I really like that. So thank you. And now, folks, let's talk about stress hormones, because many people are afraid of their own chemistry.

Saundra 23:42

Well, Rakesh, I'm going to say something that might really surprise our listeners. Stress hormones are not our enemies. Cortisol, adrenaline, norepinephrine, they are simply messengers. They tell us something matters. Something needs care, needs our attention. Not, hey, something's wrong, but something is important. Listen.

Rakesh 24:12

Yeah, listen. Perhaps even panic can be seen differently. That it's not betrayal, it's just the body's signal of giving us a sense of urgency to what we're dealing with, right?

Saundra 24:26

Yes, panic is the nervous system saying to us, I need support now.

Rakesh 24:34

So chronic stress is really, really chronic perception of threat, right?

Saundra 24:40

Exactly. And you know, over time, the nervous system it recalibrates. Tension becomes familiar. Urgency, that becomes our new baseline. Hypervigilance becomes identity. Until the body finally says to us, I can't do this alone. That moment is often what we call collapse, but it's actually communication.

Rakesh 25:09

Burnout, even, right? So even burnout, that's not weakness. It's just what you said. It collapse.

Saundra 25:16

Yeah, that's it, Rakesh. It's strength without support. And strength without support, eventually, that just becomes strain. Let's remember that is not moral failure.

Rakesh 25:30

So biology is in fact kind. It just is warning us before things completely break down.

Saundra 25:38

True, Rakesh. If we listen.

Rakesh 25:42

If we listen. And that art of listening is what this entire podcast is about. And one more time, reminding our listeners, you are listening to an episode on the Happy Human 3.0 with Sandra and Rakesh Jan. And we couldn't be happier to have you with us. Now, let's do this. Let's offer a longer meditative experience, not to regulate, not to fix, but just to let the body feel safety.

Stress Hormones As Messengers

Saundra 26:16

Yes, let's do that, Rakesh. Again, we will remind you with each moment of meditation, if you're driving, come back later. Listen now, but please keep your eyes on the road and keep yourself safe. Let your gaze soften or close your eyes. Take a deep breath in through the nose and gently exhale through the mouth. Notice where your body makes contact. Your feet on the floor, your back against the chair, your hands resting in your lap. Notice the space around your body. The air, the sounds, bringing attention to the breath, not to change it, but to feel it. Now notice one place on your body that feels neutral. It could be your hands, your feet, your lower back. Let your attention rest there. No need to change anything. Simply notice. This is your nervous system discovering that not all sensation is threatening. Stay with that place for a few gentle breaths. Let your awareness widen again. Noticing sound. Noticing light. Noticing the room around you. Bringing this practice to a close. Let's take one intentional breath in and release it gently.

Rakesh 28:51

Gosh, another very excellent practice to reconnect my mind to my body, Saundra. Thank you. And I hope, dear listener, you too found the practice to be very beneficial, very similar to perhaps my experience. And this noticing is biology relearning that we don't need to fix anything. And yet, in this process, something important is learned by both our body and our mind. Because change happens through experience, not through force.

Saundra 29:32

Yes, Rakesh. Our bodies are not against us. Our biology, it's not an enemy. An overwhelm, it's nobody's fault. It's our nervous system doing its best to care for us.

Rakesh 29:50

Yes, indeed. Yes, indeed. So now we will shift gears a little bit, dear listener, as we explore what happens when identity shifts from something like something is wrong with me, to perhaps something like my body is wise. So earlier we talked about the fact that we're not broken, then we talked about the biology of overwhelm not being a personal failure, and then now we're going to talk about identity. It's about the story we've been telling ourselves for a long time, sometimes quietly, sometimes unconsciously. But the story that says, something is wrong with me. Today we gently ask, what if that story could change? We need this story to change because so many people walk through life with that sentence running in the background. Sure, they may never say it out loud, but it colors how they meet their emotions, how they meet their bodies, how they meet themselves, for heaven's sake. Sandra, when you hear that sentence, something is wrong with me, what do you notice?

Longer Meditation: Finding Neutral

Saundra 31:06

I notice a sense of heaviness, Rakesh, blame, isolation. It begins to feel like the body is an obstacle instead of my ally. And look, let's be honest, most people they didn't choose that story. They inherited it from culture, from medicine, from our families, even from experiences where our feelings were misunderstood, or maybe they were just simply dismissed.

Rakesh 31:39

Yep. So identity isn't something we consciously decide. It forms in response to how we were met.

Saundra 31:47

Yes, that's it, Rakesh. I mean, if your emotions were too big for the room, well, we learn to shrink. If our needs were inconvenient, we learn to hide them. And if our bodies reacted strongly, oftentimes we learn to distrust that. And slowly that story we've been talking about starts to form. And we begin to create this story. My body's the problem. My feelings are the problem. I'm the problem.

Rakesh 32:22

And then people spend decades trying to fix themselves without ever questioning their underlying story, right?

Saundra 32:29

Sadly, that's it. And what we're offering here, this is so important. It's not a new technique, it's not a hack, it's a new relationship. It's a relationship where the body is seen as wise, not as broken.

Rakesh 32:48

I gotta say, that shift alone feels kind of revolutionary to me.

Saundra 32:53

Because Rakesh, I mean, it is revolutionary because identity organizes our behavior.

Rakesh 33:01

Yeah.

Saundra 33:01

So if you believe you're broken, what do we do? We try to repair it. And if you believe you're wise, all of a sudden the story shifts and we're listening.

Rakesh 33:13

Yeah, this constant repair is so exhausting and sounds like listening to our own selves, listening to our own body is the development of a relationship. I might even go as far as to say it's a relational shift.

Saundra 33:29

Absolutely. And we know listening changes everything. When someone begins to trust their body, even a little bit, shame starts to soften. And when shame softens, choice becomes possible.

Rakesh 33:47

Yeah, that shame. Ah, so many of us carry that around. And this identity we have, that's not abstract. It literally shapes how we breathe, how we rest, how we ask or don't ask for help, and how do we receive support?

Saundra 34:04

Yes, Rakesh, the body responds to how it is regarded. If it's treated like an enemy, well, it's gonna stay guarded. But if it's treated like a partner, a collaborator, it begins to soften. The relationship changes.

Rakesh 34:21

Yeah. So I guess the moment is calling for an invitation to all of us to regard ourselves differently, to be in a positive relationship with our body.

Saundra 34:34

With curiosity instead of correction, with respect instead of judging, and with patience instead of that sense of urgency.

Rakesh 34:47

So, folks, let's just pause for a minute and notice something gently. What does it even feel like to hear the possibility? My body is wise.

Saundra 35:01

Yes, let's take a moment and notice how the body responds to just that, Rakesh. My body is wise. What did you notice? Relief? Maybe some resistance? Or curiosity. All of it is welcome.

Rakesh 35:26

Yeah, all of it is welcome. I gotta be honest, I felt all of that. And curiosity is, of course, a tremendous gift I'm giving myself. Now perhaps what we could do, Sandra, is talk about shame. Because shame is often what stands between people and trusting their own bodies.

Saundra 35:48

Yes, and shame, let's remember, is a nervous system state. It's what happens when the body believes it has to hide in order to stay safe. It's not a thought problem. Remember, a protection strategy.

Rakesh 36:06

Yeah. So when someone feels ashamed of their anxiety or exhaustion, that shame is layering on top of their biology.

Saundra 36:15

Yes. First, this is what we experience. First comes the sensation, then the storytelling, the interpreting, the meaning-making. Then identity is formed. And today we're gently working backward from identity, then to the sensation with compassion and kindness.

Rakesh 36:38

So identity isn't like a fixed thing. It's not like cement that cannot be changed. Sounds like it's quite pliable, changeable.

Saundra 36:47

Very much so. It changes in relationship, including our relationship with ourselves.

Rakesh 36:55

Yeah. So we don't necessarily become different. We just relate differently to ourselves, right?

Saundra 37:00

Yep. And identity. Well, it follows.

Rakesh 37:04

Yeah. So before we go further, let's give the body a small experience of being in a relationship. And I would like Sandra to perhaps help us with that.

Identity Shift: From Broken To Wise

Saundra 37:14

Oh, great idea, Rakesh. So we invite you to find a comfortable spot. Let your gaze soften or close your eyes. Take a deep breath in through the nose. And gently exhale through the mouth. Place one hand on your chest. And if it feels okay, one hand on your belly. No special breathing. No need to change anything. Nothing to fix. Simply noticing. Not to calm. Nothing to do. A gentle hello. Or I see you. Notice what it feels like to be in touch with your body. No agenda. Nothing to do. What are you noticing? What's here in this moment? Discomfort? Anxiety. Restlessness. Whatever is present. Say hello. No need to do anything. Simply notice. Bringing this practice to a close. Let's take one intentional breath in and release it gently.

Rakesh 39:03

That was really beautiful, Saundra. This reconnecting with the human body. Now, I like most people, I notice my body typically only when something is hurting or when I'm trying to fix something. But what you're recommending is a different kind of contact with my body. It's something very new to me. It's for the mind and the body to do say to each other, I'm here with you. I'm here with you, and you matter. And I'm going to guess when the body hears that, it softens because it feels accompanied, understood, respected, trusted.

Saundra 39:46

As you describe that, Rakesh, I feel a sense of softness and deep tenderness. And just for a moment, to allow our listeners to See what they are noticing. So let's turn now and talk about symptoms. This is a common part of our language. So many people think that their symptoms, whatever they're dealing with, that somehow that defines them. Let's remember symptoms are communications. They really are the language of the nervous system. So things like anxiety, sadness, fatigue, they're all messages. None of them define who we are. They simply describe what our bodies are experiencing.

Rakesh 40:43

Yeah. So based on that, instead of saying I'm anxious, we might begin saying, my body is feeling anxious right now. And I think that one sentence, that reframe, restores dignity. It creates space, space for compassion in the relationship my mind has with my body, and also space for curiosity to check it out. And this space for choice. So I'm no longer at war with myself. In fact, now I can be in dialogue with myself.

Saundra 41:30

That's it, Rakesh. You know, for people who feel disconnected from their bodies, the disconnection at one time, it made sense. It was protective. We don't judge it, we thank it, and we gently invite this new reconnection.

Rakesh 41:49

Yeah. Feels almost like gratitude. And of course, gratitude transforms shame.

Saundra 41:56

Ah, yes, Rakesh. And when we thank our bodies for surviving, something really important happens. We stop blaming it for how it was surviving.

Rakesh 42:07

Yeah, love that. Love that. So now, before our longer practice, let's name something clearly. This is not about forcing trust. It's really more about allowing curiosity.

Saundra 42:23

Curiosity is safer than trust. And trust grows from curiosity. So, Rakesh, let's explore gentle dialogue with the body through another practice. Would you lead us?

Hand-On-Heart Practice Of Contact

Rakesh 42:38

Yes, Saundra, of course, I'll be happy to. And as Saundra has said before, please remember if you're driving, please come back to these practices. We of course don't want you to close your eyes or tune out when you're driving. You can always come back. But for others, we invite you to find a comfortable spot right where you are. And please let your eyes soften or perhaps even close. And now take a deep breath in through the nose and a gentle exhale through the mouth. Now turn your mind's eye, which is your attention, to your body as a whole. Allow this body of yours to settle into this moment. Now drawing attention from the top of the head to the bottom of the feet, sensing that you are here. You are in fact listening. You are in communication with your entire body. And as awareness opens further in your mind, whisper, hello body. Notice what happens when you greet your own body. Is there a softening? Is there a tensing? It doesn't matter. What matters is you're noticing. Let's shift our attention to our breath as we are resting in this place. Nothing to change. We're just connecting with our own body. Let the body know. I am here. Let the body know. I am listening. Now perhaps gently ask your body what do you need right now? No, the answer won't be in words. But do notice sensation or impulse. Because this is dialogue between us and our body. It's dialogue, not command, not control. We invite you to stay in this dialogue for a couple more breaths. Keep gently breathing in and out. Stay in dialogue with your body. And now that we bring this practice to a close, let's mark this occasion by taking one long intentional breath together and release it gently. You may now open your eyes if you had them closed.

Saundra 46:25

Thank you, Rakesh, for a sweet practice of reconnection. In this moment, I really don't want to go on. It's such a soft, gentle place to rest in. You know, I have this strong sense the body has deep wisdom. And no matter what came through for our listeners during the practice, we want you to know our bodies were listening. Listening is the practice.

Rakesh 46:59

Listening to our bodies, that if you're anything like me, you've not been in communication with is a true joy. It's a true discovery. And please remember your symptoms are not your identity. Your body's not your enemy. And that your and my and everyone else's nervous system is wise.

Saundra 47:24

It's such a shift in the story, Rakesh. Yes. Well, let's do this. Let's with Happy Human 3.0 shift a bit. Let's talk about wisdom. Wisdom doesn't demand perfection, it invites more of what we've been talking about, relationship. So let's do this, Rakesh. Let's explore what it means to live in partnership, in true collaboration with our nervous system. Not occasionally, every now and then, but as a way of being. This is going to be how we walk through life in relationship with our nervous system.

Rakesh 48:07

Yep. Living in partnership with our nervous system. What a joy. And previously we talked about the fact that we're not broken. We talked about overwhelm as biology, not personal failure. We even talked about seeing our body as wise. But now let's do exactly as you said, Sandra. Let's talk about developing a lovely relationship with our body, not just for the moment, not something we visit only when things are hard. You know, not that at all. But a way of being in ongoing partnership with our nervous system. So, Sandra, when you hear the word partnership in relation to the body, what does that mean to you?

Saundra 48:52

Well, this is what I believe, Rakesh. It's all about being in relationship with the body. It's that reconnection between mind and body. We hear about it all the time. So it's about listening, trusting, responding. It is not about control. It's not about compliance, doing it because we have to. It's not about mastery. So let's say it again because it's so important. It's about a partnership with our bodies that is built on listening, responding, trust and respect. And this is a, these are two systems in conversation, back and forth, no one trying to dominate the other. And our nervous system responds beautifully to this kind of communication and consistent relationship.

Rakesh 49:47

Yeah. Everything you said, this just feels so different from how most of us, me included, what we were taught on how to relate to our bodies. We were taught to manage it, override it, push past it. Not a good thing, right?

Saundra 50:04

So true, Rakesh, as you're describing that me to a T. We were taught productivity. Forget about partnership. We were taught about achievement, nothing about attunement, being in aligned with our nervous system. But look, the nervous system does not thrive on achievement. It thrives on rhythm and safety and responsiveness.

Rakesh 50:30

Yep. So this partnership really is about the rhythm between us and our body and the act of listening, responding, listening again, responding, and the cycle goes on and on, right?

Saundra 50:43

Exactly, Rakesh. It's that old saying, rinse and repeat. You know, it's not about being calm all the time. It's about being honest with whatever is present, whatever shows up in the moment. So some days our nervous system needs rest, some days the opposite, it needs movement. Some days it desires closeness, and some days it wants space. Wisdom in that relationship is all about noticing and listening.

Rakesh 51:16

So this offers us so much permission. It also means there's no one right state to be in. And I'm putting right in quotes. Exactly. Only honest ones. So when people ask, how do I heal? What they often mean is, how do I make this stop?

Symptoms As Communication

Saundra 51:36

Yes. When we experience discomfort, it could be feelings of anxiety or anger, the natural response is to stop it, to get rid of it. But healing isn't about making a sensation stop. It's about changing our relationship to that sensation. And when the relationship changes, we've said it before, we're going to say it again. The nervous system often softens naturally.

Rakesh 52:07

Yeah, the nervous system has its own intelligence. It does. It really does. It knows so much. So healing is not control, it's literally trusting our body.

Saundra 52:21

Yes. And the trust you talked about grows through experience. We cannot force it.

Rakesh 52:28

Yeah, that's true. So this feels like the thread that has been woven through this entire series, doesn't it?

Saundra 52:35

Absolutely, Rakesh. We're teaching people, our listeners, how to be in relationship with themselves again. This is not a problem to solve, but this is a living system to know.

Rakesh 52:50

So for many people, this partnership with their body, it's new. So let's start slowly. Let's take small steps. Perhaps one pause. And one pause after one pause after one pause can be a lifetime. Perhaps one breath. But again, one breath followed by another breath, followed by another breath, can be a long time. So one moment of noticing when it's connected to other moments of noticing, now that is the way to trust and listen to our body.

Saundra 53:23

Beautifully described, Rakesh. These small moments, they build safety. Safety then builds trust in that relationship. And trust builds regulation.

Rakesh 53:36

Yeah. Yeah. So let's offer our listeners an embodied experience of relationship now. Not a technique, not a performance, but a moment of attunement, of being accompanied, walking hand in hand with our own bodies.

Saundra 53:55

Such a beautiful invitation to our listeners, Rakesh. And just that friendly reminder: if you're driving, come back to the practice later. Stay safe. Keep your eyes on the road. Let's begin. Let your body settle in whatever way feels comfortable. There's no posture to hold. No breath to control. Simply notice that you are here in a body in this moment. This is not about changing anything. It's about meeting what's present. Let your attention come to your breath. Not to shape it, but to feel it. A deep breath in and a gentle exhale. Notice the space around your body. The air sounds. The room. Your nervous system is always in relationship with its environment. Right now, it's sensing. Place one hand over your heart. Breathe into that connection. Let your body feel that it's not alone. Gently ask. What feels supportive in this moment? Gently notice whatever is present. It might be stillness, movement, warmth, a sense of spaciousness. Whatever shows up. Say hello. It's all welcome. And stay with whatever you notice. Simply breathe into it. This is partnership. This is relationship. Listening, responding, respecting, and trusting. Now when you're ready, let your awareness widen. Notice sound, light, the space you're in. Whatever you notice, this is your nervous system learning. Bringing this practice to a close. Together, let's take one intentional breath in and release it gently.

Rakesh 57:44

Ah, thank you, Saundra. Another wonderful experiential moment for both me and our dear listeners. This is beautiful because you again taught us that the sense of safety is built in small, honest moments. And partnership doesn't mean perfection, it just needs presence.

Saundra 58:09

And attunement, presence, being in relationship with our body. That is the most regulating force we have for catch.

Rakesh 58:19

Yeah, that's true. So as we close out this episode, I want to say something slowly. You don't need to become someone else, you don't need to fix yourself, you don't need to override your biology. Perhaps one of the more important skills is to learn how to listen. And listening is love and action because we're not broken, we never were. We are responsive, we are wise, and our nervous system has been caring for us our whole lives. So thank you, dear colleagues, for dear friends, for trusting us with your attention. And more importantly, thank you for trusting yourself enough to listen and practice with us.

Saundra 59:05

And you know, Rakesh, that trust, that's where healing truly begins. We want to thank all our listeners for being with us during this podcast. We hope it helped you form a better relationship, a new relationship maybe with your entire being. And we hope to see you at our next podcast. See you soon.