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The Language of Your Body — Decoding Signals
Ayurvedic + Somatic pathways to listening beneath the symptom
Jessica Baine
August 12, 2025
Your body is always speaking.
Sometimes in whispers—a light ache, a subtle pull.
Other times in shouts—a breakout, an intense craving, an ache you can’t ignore.
We’re taught to chase these sensations away: take a pill, put on a cream, push through the discomfort.
But in Ayurveda and somatic work, symptoms are signals—little love notes pointing to where your body, mind, and spirit are asking for care. These signals are not to be shamed.
Let’s explore three common ones together.
1. Breast Tenderness
Ayurvedic View
Often tied to Kapha stagnation (fluid retention) and sometimes Pitta heat in the reproductive tissues.
Common in the luteal phase when progesterone rises and lymph slows.
Can be worsened by heavy, oily, salty foods—or unprocessed emotion weighing on the heart space.
Somatic View
The chest is a protector. Tenderness here can reflect holding or guarding—from intimacy, vulnerability, or even from ourselves.
It may be the body’s way of saying, “Something feels too much; I need gentleness.”
How to Nourish and Support According to Ayurveda
Gentle abhyanga (self-massage) to move lymph
Bitters and leafy greens for liver support
Breathwork to expand and soften the rib cage
A few of our favorite products for breast health linked below:
2. Skin Flare-Ups
Ayurvedic View
Often a sign of Pitta excess—heat and inflammation trying to escape through the skin.
If deep and cystic, Kapha congestion and Ama (toxins) may also be involved.
When flares track with your cycle, it may signal the liver and digestion are taxed by hormonal shifts.
Somatic View
Skin is your boundary. Irritation, redness, and breakouts can mirror times when your boundaries feel raw, overstepped, or unsafe.
Notice if flare-ups follow high-stress, overexposure, or overstimulation.
How to Nourish and Support According to Ayurveda
Cooling herbs like neem, coriander, or manjistha
Grounding, unhurried movement
Orienting practices to re-establish felt safety (For example, name 3 things you see, 2 sounds you hear, and 1 sensation in your body).
3. Cravings
Ayurvedic View
Cravings are intelligent requests—but can be misread.
Sweet = grounding or stable blood sugar (Vata balance)
Salty = adrenal replenishment or electrolyte need
Sour = liver clearing and digestive stimulation
Somatic View
Cravings can be the nervous system seeking regulation—food as comfort, safety, or connection.
Sometimes they point to a deeper hunger: for rest, warmth, or emotional release.
How to Nourish and Support According to Ayurveda
Pause and ask: “Is this hunger for food, or for safety, ease, or connection?”
Eat mindfully with one hand resting on belly or heart
Your Practice This Week
When a sensation shows up, try:
Name it — “I notice heaviness in my chest.”
Feel it — Where is it? What’s its texture, temperature, movement, image?
Ask — “If this sensation could speak, what would it say?”
Tend — Offer a remedy that meets the physical and emotional need (moving in a way that releases the felt sense, allowing it to be without judgement, nourishment from food or drink).
Remember:
Your body isn’t a problem to fix—it’s a conversation partner.
Every ache, every breakout, every craving is an invitation to listen more deeply, to meet yourself where you are, and to bring kindness to the places asking for it most, reducing shame.
Missed our lesson on the Ayurvedic principle of the doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha)? You can catch up anytime—access the archived post on doshas at the link below.
Disclaimer:
I am not a medical doctor, and the information shared through Conscious Biome Ayurveda is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with your physician or qualified health provider regarding any medical concerns or before making changes to your diet, supplements, or health practices.