Do Look Up
Do you ever wonder about the chronic tension in your neck and shoulders, or why you feel sluggish in the midafternoon? Have you noticed that when you spend time in nature, that sluggish feeling is absent and the tension in your body abates? Perhaps you’ve assumed that it’s the nature of ‘work’ that leaves you feeling tense and drained. Maybe that’s partially true. More likely, there’s much more to the body–mind–energy connection than you realize.
Though I highly recommend the movie, Don’t Look Up, literally not looking up is an inadvisable way to orient yourself (just as it was metaphorically in the film!) The physical, mental, and energetic impact of continually looking down can be disastrous. Think about it. A downward gaze accompanied by the sloping chest and shoulders that follow it put incredible strain on the back of the neck and shoulders. When on autopilot and working at a computer, staring at your phone, or driving a car, your body is in this position. No wonder we experience chronic tension!
Not only do we pay a physical price for a downward facing posture, we miss out on countless opportunities for connection and energetic enhancement. As humans, we are hardwired to connect. Mirror neurons in our brains, specifically a midbrain region called the insula, pick up signals from others when we are oriented eye-to-eye. Midbrain-to-midbrain. Dr. Dan Siegal calls this ‘mind sight’, and it refers to our ability to take in the mind of another — even without words! It results in a feeling of mutuality: a feeling of seeing, and being seen, by another.
Equally beneficial to an upward facing posture is the upward lift of the chest. We take in more air and breathe more freely when our lungs are more open. More importantly, the energetic resonance we feel in the heart space is magnified. Research by the HeartMath Institute highlights the heart as an energetic ‘superpower’ in our bodies. The heart–brain connection is like a superhighway, with the heart sending more messages to the brain than the brain sends to the heart. When our heart is open, we take in and extend more energy. Our mood lifts and we connect more easily with others.
Another benefit of looking up is the ability to take in more visually. Pausing a moment to notice the color of the sky, movements of the clouds, or the contrast of stark tree branches set against a winter sky provides a balm of relief to eyes weary from the glare of technology.
If you realize that yes, you do indeed spend much of your day looking down, don’t despair. You’re not alone. Cultural conditioning has led us to habitual ways of being that don’t serve us. All is not lost. Set an intention to choose to change, one tiny habit at a time. To do this think ahead. Which micro-moments of your day will help you remember to pause and look up? Consider times of transition. Stopping at a red light, stepping out of your car, each time you get up from your desk, or walk from one patient’s room to another. Consider, each time you greet someone, to be intentional about noticing the color of their eyes. Consider leaving your phone in your pocket when waiting in line at the store or walking to your next meeting.
Regardless of circumstance, turning off autopilot is a choice you can make. Pausing to notice, look up, and appreciate life, is always available. The alternative is to invite sluggishness, physical tension, and negativity into your life. Don’t do that.
My one exception: When trail running or single-track mountain biking, don’t look up while moving! Trust me, the outcome is not good. In these cases, stop to look up…and then proceed.
Take one minute after now to look up, heart lifted. Dare to even take the audacious posture of spreading your arms wide open. Notice how you feel. Imagine feeling this good more of the time. Think about making this choice more often and commit to doing so. Do look up — and enjoy!