Interoception: The Silent Epidemic

When I had my existential breakdown in 2014 that had me cutting off all my hair, giving away my things, quitting my job, and questioning everything about my culture – what I didn’t know at the time was that my crisis wasn’t just midlife, it was life itself.

Ending up in Nepal and walking the hills around the Himalayas, I not only experienced a different culture – I felt life inside myself once again. This is what led me to my PhD research and experiencing many ceremonies, rites of passages, and contemplative practices as a means of cultural transformation through the question:

What was it about my culture that led me to who I had become, and what would it take for me to change my definition of myself as a means of changing the world because we do not ever see the world as it is, only as we are, so all meaningful and lasting change in the world outside of me can only come from within me?

As I reflect now, 10 years later, what I realize was that in my go-go-go go, always on but never connected life, I had lost the capacity to feel life inside of me. Worse yet, I unconsciously ensured that I never felt my life because, in addition to always going and never feeling, I medicated with Lexapro during the day, wine at night, and Xanas to sleep. No one questioned this, least of all me.

That is until I realized I was killing myself for all the wrong reasons – the security of my job, the things I bought and did, the titles/labels/roles I wore and so much more. My life wasn’t about who I was as a person and how I treated myself and others, it was whether or not I was deemed a “productive member of society” through my culture’s values.

Nowadays I find myself involved in a few exciting startups, one of which has me facilitating retreats for high-net-worth individuals. The most common awareness people come to when they first get out on the land, grounded, and in a circle with others is the realization that they no longer feel alive, just as I didn’t. They often have executive roles or family offices to run, busy schedules, families, and more. They don’t have time to feel, so they compartmentalize their lives in a desperate attempt to just make it… another day, another year, or some later date when they don’t have to live this way – which unfortunately is usually either the day they get diagnosed with a disease, fired from a job, or alone in their old age realizing that life just passed them by.

Long story short – I found myself doing some writing this morning about Interoception for a program I am developing and then I got on a zoom call where we talked about Peace Tending practice (through the lens of the Haudenosaunee peace principles) because we’ve been seeing more and more people showing up on zoom calls and acting out, unable to emotionally regulate themselves and degrading the experience for the group.

And I thought I’d share a little bit with you...

Disconnected from Life: The Hidden Costs of Ignoring Our Inner Feelings

In our fast-paced, constantly connected world, we often find ourselves racing through our days, barely pausing to catch our breath, let alone reflect on how we feel inside. Yet, nestled within this whirlwind of activity is a crucial aspect of our well-being that frequently goes unnoticed: interoception. Understanding and enhancing our interoceptive awareness can lead to profound improvements in our physical health, emotional stability, and overall life satisfaction as well as our social bonds and collective well-being. But what exactly is interoception, and why should we care about it?

Interoception is the brain's ability to perceive and interpret signals from internal organs and tissues. These signals travel through sensory nerve pathways to the brain, where they are primarily processed in the insular cortex – the part of our brain that helps us understand what's going on inside our body and how we feel.

In other words, think of interoception as the body's internal communication system, constantly sending messages to the brain about what’s happening inside us.

Despite its importance, many of us overlook our interoceptive signals, especially in a society that often values productivity and speed over mindfulness and self-care. This constant state of "go, go, go" can have significant repercussions on both individual and societal levels.

When we move so quickly through life that we don't take the time to recognize interoceptive signals and feelings, several negative consequences can arise. Over time, this internal sense becomes less sensitive when consistently ignored. This can impair our ability to accurately perceive internal states, making it harder to respond appropriately to our body's needs. Emotional regulation becomes more difficult, leading to heightened emotional reactivity or numbness.

Furthermore, Ignoring the signals and sensations within our bodies often leads to a broader disconnection from the world around us. When we fail to tune into our internal cues, such as hunger, fatigue, or emotional distress, we also become less attuned to the subtleties of our environment and the needs of those around us. This internal disconnection fosters a sense of detachment and reduces our capacity for empathy and connection, causing us to overlook the emotions and experiences of others. This then exacerbates stress and perpetuates a cycle of negative interactions and societal unrest -- contributing to a fragmented society struggling with escalating conflicts and a profound loss of compassion and understanding. Consequently, our relationships suffer, and our ability to engage with the world in a meaningful, compassionate way diminishes.

In other words, when we move through life at a relentless pace, ignoring our body’s signals and the life inside of us, we inadvertently ignore the vibrant, interconnected life outside of us, leading to a more isolated and less harmonious existence.

If you are wondering what you can do about this or curious as to how to cultivate interoception, below are a few of my favorites. Although for the past 2 months, I have been swimming 4 times a week and I am loving the water immersion!

Rediscovering the Lost Art of Listening to Our Bodies

Improving interoceptive awareness involves bringing in practices that help us slow down and listen to our bodies:

• Unitasking: Instead of multitasking, concentrate on completing one task at a time with full attention. This practice helps you become more aware of how your body and mind respond to each activity, enhancing interoceptive awareness and reducing stress.
• Gratitude Reflection: Take a few moments each day to reflect on and write down things you are grateful for. This practice enhances emotional awareness and fosters a positive mindset, helping you become more attuned to the subtle signals of well-being and contentment in your body.
• Sit Spot: Regularly spending quiet time in a natural setting, observing, and tuning into your surroundings and inner experiences, can enhance your connection with both your environment and your internal states.
• Mindfulness Meditation: Practices like mindfulness meditation and body scans help enhance awareness of internal sensations. These practices encourage a non-judgmental focus on the present moment, fostering a deeper connection with our bodily states.
• Yoga and Tai Chi: These movement practices combine physical activity with breath control and mindfulness, promoting greater body awareness and relaxation.
• Regular Exercise: Physical activity enhances overall body awareness and helps regulate stress hormones, improving our ability to tune into internal signals.
• Breathing Exercises: Deep, slow breathing can calm the nervous system and increase awareness of how our breath affects our body and mind.

My non-negotiables are unitasking, gratitude meditation, yoga or swimming, and sit spot – those are daily requirements, just like my vitamins.??Which reminds me...

What are yours???