What body aches are trying to tell us is often an important puzzle piece in trauma resolution. I have had many discussions during sessions about what the body zones are related to emotionally. I have myself gone through the process of healing from many traumas and have come to know the landscape quite well. I highly recommend using the body as a gateway to heal deeper emotional patterns. Once you identify the place that is calling for your attention, simply ask what energetic blockage is living here. As the answer comes up in a vision or memory, aim to transmute the pattern by creatively neutralizing the visual you receive to a more emotionally sound experience.
For example, I will describe one of my such processes so that you may also feel into your trouble areas and discover what resides there. I journeyed into my jaw issues (its been very prone to injury, consistently has slipped in and out of the joint with my teeth becoming misaligned making it difficult to chew with tremendous tension in my masseter muscles) and I discovered that I had developed the personal belief that I was unworthy of nourishment due to abusive childhood experiences. I mentally rewrote the program/soul contract to be freely able to receive nourishment and suddenly my dislocated jaw popped into place with an audible pop and it has not since slipped out of the joint capsule. After the integration work it became easy to feed my body nourishing foods and I no longer had resistance about mindfully taking what I needed.
Each body tells a different story, of course, and if you stay open to the possibility of healing and go in with your open heart, you are sure to see results. I have found that the best time to do this exploration work is when you are deeply relaxed like after a yoga practice, while sunbathing on a beach or before bed. As you settle in, expand and lengthen your breath so your logical mind is able to take a back seat and your intuitive mind comes through. Here is a list as a resource for personal reflection if you are going through a healing crisis. As some of you know, in my holistic studies I focused on somato-emotional processing, and have a knack for assisting people in finding the deeper truth behind their aches and pains. I would love to hear if this particular system resonates or if you find your own insights related to the body parts. The following zones of karma are defined in the Arica system from the Chua K'a tradition of the Mongolian warriors. It is not a system meant to limit us to the particulars, but more of a framework of suggestions that may help you find deeper insights. As I said before, very body tells its own story. :)
Feet to ankle bones: Storing fear of being oneself, having tension that prevents connection to the earth, fear of not having a strong foundation or being supported, not knowing oneself or forgetting/losing oneself. Indications may manifest as flightiness and spaced out disposition.
Ankle bone to knees: Reveals fear of taking action, lack of ability to flow with the tides and adapt to circumstances. One may feel stuck to the ground due to insecurity. Can present itself as need to distract or run away without staying to feel/experience the present moment. Indications include procrastination, vacillation or wishy washy behavior.
Knees: May conceal fear of death, fear of change or fear of egoic expressions. Problems in the knees may occur around death of a situation or relationship. indications are difficulties transitioning from one state of being to another, becoming inflexible, clinging to life and becoming overly rigid.
Thighs: Telling of fear of accomplishment, fear of inadequacy/incapability, and fear of weakness or lack of strength. Indications manifest as tension that masks fear, binding the Kath energy and eliminating the possibility of real strength.
Pelvis (anterior down to ischial tuberosities): Fear of sex, painful sex and fear of physical and emotional pain.
(Ischial tuberosities to coccyx): Fear of loss, which manifests as holding on to things out of fear of losing them and/or constipation.
(Sacrum, illiac crest to pelvic outlets): Fear of life or exhaustion from life, and fear of taking risks. Manifests as withdrawing from life experiences, inability to put oneself "out there" and frozen pelvis syndrome.
Abdomen (diaphragm and organs between lower ribs and pelvis): Fear of breathing and/or fear of assimilation of food, nourishment or experiences. General fear of receiving that which you need. Manifests as inability to process what is happening in the moment.
Ribcage to clavicle: Fear of sadness, fear of creative integration, fear of victimization, and fear of alienation. Manifests as being caught up in sentimentality and sorrows, sighing and being disconnected from life force.
Back: Fear of losing, fears related to lack of self esteem and repression/supression of expression and behaviors.
Shoulders: Fear of responsibilities, fear of achievement, fears related to resentment/guilt. Manifests as feeling of being weighed down by life's burdens.
Upper arms: Fear of productivity, fear of discouragement, experience of unmet expectations and being overburdened by disappointments. Manifests as sordidly wondering what may happen, using statements like "I knew it wouldn't work, it never has before" or "something always goes wrong".
Forearms: Fear of punishment and fear of inferiority. Manifests as acute sensitivity and tension developed from ducking an oncoming blow. Warding off the blows of life.
Wrist and hand: Fear of doing, ruminating on memories of past mistakes, fear of self-expression. Manifests as tentativeness and belief that things are not well done.
Throat: Fear of vocalization of ones deeper feelings and truths. Feelings of guilt surrounding self-expression. Manifests as inability to find voice or holding back necessary words in fear of judgement or ridicule.
Neck: Anxiety and fear of smooth processing. Manifests as excessive rationality and restlessness.
Ears, upper neck and mastoid process: Fear of not understanding and fear of not being in the right attention to receive necessary information.
Upper forehead across crown to base of scull: fear of many worries or preoccupation with worry.
Forehead from eyebrows to hairline: perplexity and wondering that manifests as raised eyebrows, frowning or mouth hanging open.
Eyebrows and space between eyebrows: Fear of anger.
Eye sockets and eye muscles: Fear of prejudices and envy that manifests as strain and burning eyes.
Cheekbones: Fear of shame and humiliation (with most recent being worst).
Nose and attachments: Fear of external control, fear of psychologically being tied down and led by the nose, and fear of losing the will to live (connected to Kath energy)
Nose to mouth: Fear of disappointment
Mouth and lips: Fear of disgust
Jaw bone up to hinges and down to Hyoid bone: Fear of revulsion that manifests as withdrawing head from uncomfortable situation.
While doing integrative work, always practice unconditional love towards yourself and gently hold the space with care. Each of us subconsciously longs to be whole. Don't hesitate to reach out if you need assistance going deeper and I will be happy to journey with you. Schedule a shamanic reiki session if you find very strong life blocks that you just cant get past and we will dive beneath the surface together.
