You can read the Norwegian version of this blog post through this hyperlink.

Lucky me, I got hearts!

As a substitute teacher, I am in various classes and grade levels. It is educational, engaging, rewarding, and challenging. Sometimes I also get drawings from the students, like the other day; I was blessed by receiving hearts from the little ones—the pictures I have shared with you.

On the same day, I also had a fascinating conversation with one of the boys. He is a boy with a tremendous amount of energy, and deep down my core, I know having energy is a sign of being healthy. Still, in a classroom and teaching context with many students gathered, it is not always easy to see the constructive side of "too much energy." And as a substitute teacher, since I do not always get the privilege of building relationships with the kids over time, it can be even more challenging. For me, building relationships is the key to learning, developing, and creating change whenever needed.

That day, the conversation with the little boy reminded me of how everything in life is about processes, and this is how our conversation went:

"I think you've been great today. I see that you are trying your best to listen and follow up what is going on in the classroom. But suddenly something happens. You start running around, makings lots of noises, and when you get there, you do not listen anymore, and I cannot reach you. What is happening inside you, in your body when you get there, do you know that? » I asked him.

He listened without answering, just looking at me.

"Next time, when you start feeling like running around and making noise, can you try to feel what is happening in your body?"

"I have thought about it many times, but I do not know what is happening in my body," he answered spontaneously. His honesty struck me.

Of course, being in touch with the body is a learning process, and we as humans do not get an introduction to it. And this conversation made me remember once when I was seeking help from a man who worked with body awareness, among other things.

"Do you have contact with your body?" he asked me as I was lying on the bench.

"Yes, I have. I exercise, live healthy and I am active, "I replied.

"Ok, that's fine, but are you in touch with your body?" he asked me again.

"Yes, of course," I replied quickly, this time without thinking. Inside me, though, I thought, "For some weird questions he asks. Of course, I am in contact with my body. "Yes, we are all born with a body, and we take it often for granted, at least as long it plays along on the same team as us.

We cultivate the body and live in a society that boosts the body's aesthetic appearance. We are concerned with building muscle, and for many, "bodybuilding" has become a lifestyle. A lifestyle that media promotes, but do we listen to our bodies? Being active and using the body is super important for our health at all levels. There is no doubt about that, but to me, our body is like a "holy temple."

It reflects our feelings and thoughts. Our bodies are often a barometer of our health and other aspects of life. Joy, contentment, peace, depression, disappointment, and anxiety are all registered through our bodies. Our bodies tell us what aspect of our lives we need to pay attention to. It speaks to us, but do we listen to the signals? What is your body telling you right now about other aspects of your life? What can you do today to meet your body's needs? Running over the body, dozing it down because it does not live up to the body ideal we all have, is not the same as listening to it.

I guess we all have heard the terms like "gut feeling or heartache," right? There is a reason why these expressions are everywhere, in almost every language. These universal expressions refer to the emotions expressed throughout the body. Our bodies talk to us, and imagine if the children, from an early age, could learn to listen to their bodies and its signals. Maybe we will get there sometime in the future, and the schools will have different rooms for teaching, adapted to the needs of the students – for example, a space to bring out the surplus energy, a room for silence, creativity, and a room for teaching the subjects. Maybe allowing children to seek out the various rooms based on their needs would take the process of learning to new heights. What do you think? Could that be an idea?

By the way, I have now updated this week's vibration. I hope you like the music I shared, and it brings you a little inspiration for what you have ahead of you or whatever you need for your day.