Learning to listen to your own body’s wisdom

Human beings are vastly different and require diverse

healing approaches, with the most effective approaches

guided by their body's own wisdom.

You cannot heal if you don't understand what is

happening in your own mind and body. This extends not

only to scientific knowledge about how the body and

mind work but also to being able to connect to one's own

intuitive wisdom about what is needed to heal, says

Sybille Lindner of FlowForm Rehab & Physiotherapy.

The treatment programmes she designs are much more

valuable and effective when she takes into consideration

what the person feels they need rather than telling them

what she thinks they need.

“The more a person understands themselves, the better

they are at knowing what they need to heal. There is no

one healing technique that helps everyone, and each

person must learn for themselves what works for their

own unique body and mind.”

She wants to help people learn about their own

uniqueness and show them the wide variety of tools that

are available, so they can try them out and find what

works for them.

“It seems to me that many health issues we have

nowadays happen as a result of being disconnected from

our own selves. Trauma does that, pain does that too,

and our modern lifestyles pushing us too far and making

us override our own senses create a disconnection from

our own nature.”

Growing closer to nature

We forget that we are nature too, says Sybille.

We heal at the pace at which a plant grows; we are made

to move through the world at our walking pace; we are

meant to process the sensory inputs we get in a forest or

the ocean rather than virtual and artificial environments.

“Living a life too far removed from natural environments

overloads our sensory systems and wreaks havoc on our

internal regulatory systems that maintain our health.

Every person who has ever felt drawn to the fresh ocean

breeze or the way the wind sounds in the trees knows

this. We have to remember that we are natural organic

beings and not machines.”

Being out in nature helps us realise this. She explains that

nature is not just a tool we can use to recharge or heal

ourselves; it is our natural home. Our bodies return to

their own natural balance when spending enough time in

nature, and this effect is much stronger when we

connect to the natural elements in an intentional way.

“I want to show people how it is okay, and very healing,

to stop running at the pace that modern lifestyles

demand and to relax into the natural rhythms our bodies

want to move in. And perhaps, over time, we can create

new systems that recognise the natural within ourselves

and allow us the freedom to live and breathe in tune

with nature.”

Mindful retreats

When curating a retreat, Sybille focuses on what she

believes people need and builds a programme around

that. Her last retreat was based on the theme of reconnecting

to the natural elements to recognise the need for living

in a natural way. All movement and mindfulness

practices were centred around this intention.

“I also consider what would be inspiring and valuable for

people to experience. I like showing people other ways of

doing things, perhaps a little out of the box, to stretch

the limits of what they thought was possible or allowed,

so they can widen their field of possibilities and find what

speaks to them. I like my retreats to be a little different,

to explore and play with different ways of connecting to

ourselves, so we can find what works for us.”

Sybille emphasises that retreats are not meant to be just

relaxing holidays or tours to see as many tourist

attractions as possible. Rather, they are safe spaces in

which people can play, experience, and learn more about

themselves, inspiring real transformation.

Even though her physiotherapy training has been

focused very much on the physical aspects of health, it

has also emphasised the fact that health is a balance

between the physical, mental, emotional, and social

aspects of a person and that these aspects all influence

each other in complex ways.

"Through my experience working with my patients over

the last 13 years, I have found that these interactions are

much more complex than conventional medical science

accepts. I have found much more value in mind-body

therapies for my own personal health than with only a

medical approach.”

Holistic approach

Sybille’s additional studies on the fascia and the nervous

system have helped her create techniques and

approaches that work on both mind and body. The

deeper she understands the nervous system as a bridge

between the two, the more she can connect to what her

body, mind and soul need at any moment.

“I have several daily tools I use to help regulate my

nervous system and bring mind and body in alignment. I

allow my own body's wisdom and intuition to guide me

as to which of those tools are appropriate at that time.”

Sybille likes having a wide toolbox that she can pick and

choose from rather than strict routines of daily practices,

as this personally works better for her. Her tools include

different kinds of breathing techniques, movement

practices like yoga, Tai Chi, Qi gong, intuitive movement,

and sensory integration techniques like connecting to her

body's inner sensations and emotions and working

through them as they arise.

“I keep learning so much about the influence of

movement, breath, food, relationships, trauma,

thoughts, beliefs, and daily emotional processing have on

my overall health, and there is always more to learn.”

The holistic understanding of her own health and

applying this understanding by using and developing her

own tools have been essential to maintaining her own

personal physical and mental health, says Sybille.

“The tools I use to keep my mind and body aligned have

become such an integral part of my lifestyle that this is

who I am now rather than something I do for my health.”

Finding balance

More and more people are struggling with complex

chronic conditions for which the medical world just has

no solutions, says Sybille, because of an overly

reductionist model for dealing with complex human

problems.

“We forgot that it is humans we are trying to help, not

machines. We are realising that real healing comes from

guiding ourselves through the process rather than

handing over responsibility to a healthcare professional.”

In her opinion, healthcare professionals should support

people on their journey to find what they need and what

works for them, rather than imposing their beliefs about

what is effective on all their patients. “The person

needing healing is the best person to heal themselves,

but they need support on this journey.

“We are busy changing generations of conditioned

beliefs about what health means and what is needed for

healing.”

But instead of perpetuating separation between us,

Sybille believes the best way to bring more healing into

the world is to collaborate and find ways to bring skills

together, helping each other find what works best for

ourselves and our loved ones.

“There is value in all forms of existing healthcare, and

when we make our fundamental intention one of self-

empowerment and collaboration, everyone will benefit

and heal.”

Sybille tries to aim for balance in all things, allowing

herself the freedom to choose what she does based on

how she feels in the moment.

“I allow myself to live in cycles and rhythms, not forcing

myself to do the same routine every day just because it

worked then. We are complex beings; we need many

different things. Being out in nature is always the best for

recharging me, and even more so when I make time to

intentionally connect to it. Intentionally slowing down

and connecting with nature are my best tools that help

me personally, because that is what my unique body and

mind need.”

Facebook: FlowForm Rehab & Physiotherapy; [email protected]