Read Your Body & Mind

What Your Body is Trying to Tell You

Have you ever had strange a symptom in your body during stress or a time of high emotions? It’s relatively normal, for example, that a twitching eye can indicate increased or prolonged stress. Your body might be telling you something with the sensations you experience. But can you understand the message?

Organ Jargon

Alfred Adler coined the term “organ jargon” to refer to somatic (sensations) that express an individual’s attitude and perspective. If you felt a pain in your shoulder, it could be explained that perhaps you were feeling as though you were shouldering the burden of stress or some obligation. In this way, organ jargon or “organ dialect” is a symbolic expression of a true feeling that corresponds with an individual’s lifestyle.

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If this is sounding very dense or psychology woo-woo, I highly recommend to read the definition of Adlerpedia to become more familiar with this concept.

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Special note: Self-exploration question may trigger a traumatic memory. If you feel emotionally triggered by certain body sensations or activities, exploring your symptoms may negatively enhance this experience. If this happens to come up for you, switch your focus from your symptoms to grounding exercises to calm yourself.

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Click here for helpful grounding exercises

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This info-graphic is a supplement to the article How to Read Your Body and Mind. It lists the “3 levels of being,” a framework for understanding your body’s symptoms, and tips to access each level in self-reflection.

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