Sending Kind Messages to the Body | 傳遞良善的訊息給身體

<English version>

The Body Remembers

Over the past few years, as I’ve explored more teachings from psychology, spirituality, and holistic health, I began noticing how deeply our emotions shape the messages our bodies receive. This is not a new idea—both ancient wisdom and modern science affirm it.

Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches us that each emotion influences specific organs. Ancient Greek physicians made similar observations. In more recent years, Louise Hay emphasized the link between our thoughts and physical conditions. And in Reiki practice, we see how intention and energy flow can shift how the body feels and responds.

Have You Praised Yourself Today?

A question resurfaced for me, one I wrote about more than a decade ago when I was still new to spirituality: “Have you praised yourself today?”

Back then, I didn’t trust myself—my body, my emotions, or even my intuition. Looking back, I realize much of that distrust came from external conditioning. Hollywood, MTV, and media-defined beauty standards trained me to critique my body rather than celebrate it. The result? A constant stream of negative self-talk, subtle comparisons, and inner criticism.

The Silent Messages We Send Ourselves

Even when we don’t say them aloud, our subconscious stores these messages. Our bodies respond, often in ways we don’t fully understand. As Bessel van der Kolk’s book The Body Keeps the Score explains, our cells hold memory. They remember every word, every judgment, every moment we diminish ourselves.
This realization made me see how vital it is to become aware of the dialogue we carry within. When we replace self-criticism with compassion, we begin to shift not only our thoughts but also our physical well-being.

Speaking Kindly to the Mirror

That’s why so many spiritual teachings encourage affirmations: looking into the mirror and saying “I love you,” “I am worthy,” or “I deserve to be treated well.” These are not empty slogans. They are intentional messages to the subconscious—reminders of our inherent value.

Still, I understand the hesitation: “Isn’t this just brainwashing myself with positivity?”
My perspective is that affirmations are not about forcing a fake smile or pretending everything is perfect. They’re about gently guiding ourselves back to center—back to the original self that already knows its worth.

Avoiding the Trap of Spiritual Bypass

Of course, we must also be mindful. Loving yourself doesn’t mean ignoring pain or bypassing challenges with “good vibes only.” True self-love includes sitting with discomfort, facing difficult emotions, and holding space for healing. The goal is not to become someone 180 degrees different, but to realign with who you truly are.

Avoiding the Trap of Spiritual Bypass

So today, I invite you to pause and ask yourself: What messages am I sending my body?
Are they words of trust, encouragement, and compassion—or of criticism and doubt?

Your body listens. Your cells remember. And each moment, you have the power to choose what story they will carry forward.

---

<Mandarin version>

身體會記得

過去這幾年，隨著我接觸到更多心理學、身心靈以及整體療癒的知識，我開始注意到：我們的情緒如何深刻地影響著身體。其實，這並不是什麼新觀念——古今中外都有人提到過。

中醫早已指出，不同的情緒會影響對應的臟腑；古希臘的醫師也有相似的研究；近代的 Louise Hay 更強調了思想與身體狀況的關聯。而在靈氣的運用中，我們也能體會到，透過意念與能量的傳導，身體會隨之發生改變。

你今天讚美過自己了嗎？

有一個問題，十多年前我曾經寫過，如今又浮上心頭：「你今天讚美過自己了嗎？」

那時的我，其實並不太相信自己——不太相信自己的身體、情緒與直覺。追溯原因，我發現是外在的審美標準在影響著我。好萊塢、MTV、媒體塑造的外貌與身材觀念，讓我們習慣性挑剔自己，甚至不斷比較。於是，我們每天給自己的訊息，很容易被社會、家庭、文化與商業行為左右，無形之中累積了許多自我批判。

無聲的訊息，身體都在聽

就算沒有說出口，潛意識依然會把這些訊息傳遞給自己。身體也會對那些貶低自己的聲音做出反應。心理學家 Bessel van der Kolk 在《The Body Keeps the Score》（《心靈的傷，身體會記住》）一書中提到，細胞擁有記憶，它們會不斷記錄我們的意識與潛意識告訴它的每一句話。

這讓我更清楚：我們怎麼樣與自己的潛意識對話，其實非常重要。當我們能夠用慈悲取代批判，身體也會因此逐漸轉變。

對著鏡子說一句溫柔的話

因此，許多身心靈書籍都強調正向肯定語（affirmations）的力量。像是對著鏡子告訴自己：「我愛你」、「我值得」、「我值得被好好對待」、「我正在走向豐盛」…… 這些不是空洞的口號，而是刻意送給潛意識的訊息，提醒我們本來就具備的價值。
然而，光有意願還不夠。還需要能力。這個能力或許不是天生具備的，但可以透過學習與培養而來。

當然，也有人會擔心：「那不就是每天給自己洗腦嗎？」
我的看法是，這不是強迫自己戴上假笑面具，而是溫柔地把自己帶回中心，帶回那個原本知道自身價值的自己。

不要落入靈性逃避

然而，愛自己並不代表逃避困難，也不代表用「正能量」忽略真實的痛苦。真正的自我接納，是允許自己感受不適，面對挑戰，同時也在其中學會善待自己。重點不是要把自己變成另一個人，而是回到那個本真的自我。

結語

今天，我想邀請你停下來問問自己：「我正在對我的身體傳遞什麼訊息？」
這些訊息，是信任與鼓勵，還是批判與懷疑？

記住，身體都在聽。細胞都會記錄。而每一刻，你都擁有選擇的力量，去決定它們要帶著什麼樣的故事走下去。