Some Metaphors of the Body System

Body Metaphors – Thought Patterns Conditions Metaphors

Head – Direction; Primary Aches - Suppressed; Invalidated; Wronged
Forehead – Goals; Mission; Acute pain - Pay attention NOW!
Ideals, Aspirations Aneurisms - Distrust; Betrayal; Opening
Eyebrow – Expression Bleeding - Losing; Loss; Grief
Eye – Personal Vision; How I Breaks/Fractures - Stop thinking this way!
see the world Time for a change! Sudden and
Ear – Presence - how I show up irreversible change is occurring now
Nose – Intuition; Knowing Bruises - Guilt; Withholding joy; Crushed,
Mouth – Intake; Considering Destroyed; Fighting
Face – Appearance; Expression Cancers - Losing control; Feeling the
Chin – Attitude; Influence, victim; Rejection; Out of control
Strength/Weakness Chronic pain - Entertaining old, hurtful,
Neck – Flexibility; Alternatives beliefs
Shoulder – Shoulds; Cuts - Guilt; Opening (opportunity)
Commitments; Dull pain - Time to pay attention; Time for
Responsibilities a change
Chest – Connection; Affection; Fat - Stored excess emotional content
Nurturing; Relationships Fever – Heating up; Pay attention
Upper Arm – Power; Strength Indigestion – Time to reconsider; Wrong or
Lower Arm – Work; Doing wronged; Afraid
Wrist – Choices; Flexibility Infection - Anger; Defensiveness; Invaded;
Hand – Learned skills; Violated
Grasping/holding Inflammation - Anger; Hostility;
Abdomen – Processing; Resources; Secondary Turbulence
Upper Back – Truth (core beliefs); Experience held as truth Injuries/Wounds - Separation; Hurt
Mid-Back – Uprightness; Character Itch - Trying; Struggling; Confused
Lower Back – Support; Flexibility Nausea – Rejection; Terror
Hips/Buttocks – Last; Intersection of beliefs; Joining Out of joint - Angry; Frustrated
Thigh – Movement; Beliefs in action Pulled muscles - Overwhelm; Not good
Knee – Needs; Respect enough; Straining
Shin – Ascending; Climbing; Upward mobility Rash – Rejection; Sorry; Irritated
Calf – Strength; Sacredness Sharp pain – Pay attention NOW!
Ankle – Supporting Beliefs Sprains - Twisted, distorted thinking;
Foot – Understanding (soul); Foundational beliefs Overwhelm
Leg – Mobility; Tertiary Stiffness - Fear of taking responsibility;
Skin – Outer layer; Surface; Shallow; Boundaries Stuck in a belief pattern
Left Side – Feminine; Yin Tightness/Tenseness - Fear; Anxiety; Worry
Right Side – Masculine; Yang Warts - Bothersome annoyances; Losing
control a little at a time; Offenses

To use this chart –

1. Determine the condition(s) you are experiencing from the Conditions Metaphors list.
2. Look to see what the condition metaphor might mean for the condition you are experiencing.
3. Find in the Body Metaphors list the body part that has the condition to make a short “story”.
4. Then look into your life and see if that “story” is occurring in your life. If so, you may find that as you do
something to make a change in your belief system, the condition will change, too.
Examples:
Headache (ache in the head) ~ Invalidating my direction. Maybe I’m headed in the wrong direction…
Angina (sharp chest pain) ~ Pay attention to my relationships NOW! Time to re-connect…

Note – This chart is for consideration only and not intended to replace competent medical assistance.

 2001 Joseph Bennette | www.jbennette.com | 503-375-0146