Whole-Body Healing: A Mindful Approach to Everyday Wellness

Have you ever felt out of sorts, like something’s off, but you can’t quite name it? You’re not sick, exactly, there’s no clear symptom to point to, but you’re tired. You don’t feel like yourself and even the smallest chore feels like running a triathlon.

Maybe your nose is a little runny, but not enough to call in sick. You push through, because that’s what you’ve always done but inside, your body is asking you to please slow down or even to stop.

Our bodies are wise and know when it’s time to pay attention. The problem is, we’ve learned to quiet our thoughts and ignore the signals. We override the signals until the body stops whispering, and starts talking louder and louder.

I’ve worked as a medical massage therapist for over 30 years, and I loved it. It was deep, intuitive work: relieving trigger points, softening stiff muscles, and listening closely to how emotions were showing up in the body.

I gained valuable knowledge, helped people find relief, and felt great joy witnessing the transformation in their faces, their posture, their energy when pain was relieved. I felt and still feel immense gratitude for every person who trusted me with their healing, young, old, athletes, pregnant moms, those nearing the end of life. Each moment was a privilege.

But my body didn’t agree with the pace I was keeping. After years of pushing through, my shoulders finally said: No more.

At first, it was just a whisper: “Slow down.” I didn’t listen.

So, the whisper became a loud talk and after a while a strong shout, and when I still didn’t listen, my body shut down. When that happened treating people’s bodies stopped being a choice. Even getting dressed took over half an hour of pretty strong pain. I couldn’t lift my arms. I couldn’t treat people. I could barely move.

It took a full year of different therapies and emotional as well as physical healing and introspection to regain my mobility, strength and feel again that my body and I were one same thing.

And in that year, I learned so much about healing, boundaries, and listening.

Today, I want to share some of that with you to make sure that you are paying great attention to your body so you can prevent discomfort and live in health and joy.

Learn to listen.

Pain is not just physical. What we feel in our bodies is the tip of the iceberg, even when it feels overwhelming. When we learn to tune in to it, as well as our stress, emotions, relationships and who we are, we may be able to prevent illness, restore balance, and create a life of vitality and freedom

What Happens in the Brain When We Feel Pain

Pain is a full-body experience shaped by the brain. When something hurts, nerve signals travel to the brain, where they’re interpreted and amplified based on our emotional state, stress levels, and past experiences. According to neuroscience research, pain becomes more intense when we’re anxious, overwhelmed, or disconnected from ourselves.

Mindfulness helps interrupt this cycle. It reduces the brain’s tendency to overreact to pain by calming the areas responsible for emotional distress and increasing our ability to observe sensations without panic. In other words, when we’re present, pain feels less threatening, and healing becomes available.

How to Listen to Our Body’s Signals

Our body speaks in whispers to begin with and it escalates to a loud speech before it shouts. Here’s how to hear it sooner:

• Notice tension.

Tight shoulders and neck, clenched jaw during day or/and night, shallow breathing, poor digestion, headaches and more are early signs of your life needing to be reset.

• Track energy dips.

If you feel drained after certain activities or interactions, your body may be asking for boundaries and rest.

• Honor discomfort.

Don’t dismiss small aches, headaches or fatigue, especially when they don’t have an apparent reason to be. They show us that it is time to pause and pay attention

• Acknowledge past traumas

Past traumas, broken and abusive relationships, unsupportive people in our life, stress and anxiety, unfinished tasks, loss of a loved one, all of it and more can manifest as physical discomfort or illness.

Preventing Illness Through Nutrition, Movement, and Mindfulness

Whole-body wellness is built on daily choices. Here are simple, sustainable ways to support your health:

Nutrition

•Eat whole, colorful foods that nourish your cells and calm inflammation.

•Stay hydrated since fatigue and brain fog often stem from dehydration.

•Practice mindful eating: slow down, chew, savor, put your fork or spoon down at least twice during your meal and notice how food makes you feel.

Movement

•Choose movement that feels good: walk, stretch, dance, swim.

•Don’t wait until you are in pain to start moving. Movement is medicine. Start it as soon as possible, even if it is just for 5 minutes to begin with. Step by step you’ll increase your stamina.

•Listen to your body’s response to movement and rest when needed. Resting is an intrinsic part of the healing cycle.

Mindfulness

•Start with 5 minutes of breath awareness each morning.

•Use body scans to reconnect with areas of tension or numbness.

•Practice gratitude. it rewires your brain toward healing and hope.

·Do my free 7 Days Challenge. Find it in my website:silviaedenburg.com

Creating Freedom Through Self-Awareness

Once we start listening, we may understand what our body, emotions, spirit and brain are saying and truly need, so we can make better choices. Instead of reacting out of habit or pressure, we can attend to our needs, supporting our health and healing, we can stop pushing through pain and find the way to alleviate it (“the teacher shows up when the student is ready to learn”).

We may stop doing things just because we “should” and start doing what feels right.

That’s what real freedom feels and looks like, living in a way that supports our health, our joy, and our peace of mind, fully knowing that we deserve it. It starts with paying attention to ourselves. And the moment is always now!

Warmly,

Silvia

Please let me know your thoughts at [email protected]

Looking forward to connecting!
Life and Health Coach
Massage Therapist
Educator