Connecting with your Animal Body

The simplest and most intuitive way to make positive adjustments to your physical energy is to ask your Animal Body what it needs and then provide it. Remember to use the nonverbal language that an animal understands—touch, movement, food, comfort, etc.

In your belly area, picture a beloved pet or any animal that can represent your physical energy. Put your hand over your belly center and ask:

• What do you need?
• What can I do for you?
• How are you doing today?

Checking in with your Animal Body on a regular basis can be a helpful way of dealing with minor stresses in daily life. For example, when I notice I’m starting to feel a little anxious, I remember to ask myself if I need a snack. When my blood sugar dips, anxiety can be a side effect. Perhaps you must write a big proposal at work, and when you check on your Animal Body, you realize you are tired and not thinking clearly. It might work better to start the proposal tomorrow morning when you’re fresh. There are countless ways that checking on your physical energy and caring for your Animal Body can help you regulate your nervous system.

Remember that the answers may come in nonverbal ways—a feeling, sensation, image, etc. Checking in with your Animal Body can be an intuitive way to sense what your body needs. This is an imaginative exercise. You can’t do it wrong. The worst that can happen is that you act on your answers, and they don’t work well. You may be surprised how simple and effective the answers can be!