look up
... it's what we are designed to do!
“The plants look up to heaven, from whence they have their nourishment.”
—William Shakespeare
Observation
I came across a reel recently from a functional medicine neurology chiropractor talking about the surge in anxiety among kids, teens, and young adults. His perspective: Underdeveloped vestibular systems. But as he explained the signs and how he works with these kids, a lightbulb went off.
What is this generation doing—on repeat—from toddlerhood that no previous generation did?
They’re looking down.
At tablets. At phones. At screens.
This constant downward gaze, I believe, is the root of what’s being labeled a “vestibular disorder.” (My daughter included.)
What was this practitioner doing to help? He was inviting the body to look up… literally. Laying kids backward over an exercise ball, lifting the chin, reorienting the head and neck upward.
I started digging into the relationship between the vestibular system and the vagus nerve. Sure enough, the connection is real and complex. But what struck me was this: what he’s really doing, whether he knows it or not, is retraining the vagus nerve. The habit of looking down is not just physical posture… it’s nervous system posture. And it’s shaping development in ways we can’t afford to ignore.
Story
When I was 15, my grandfather was hospitalized with double pneumonia and emphysema. His organs were shutting down, and we were told to prepare for goodbye. I chose not to go into his hospital room. I’d heard from a friend how haunting it was to see a loved one for the last time hooked up to machines… I did NOT want that to be my final memory.
But here’s the twist: it wasn’t his time. Away from cigarettes and immersed in round-the-clock care, his body began to heal. His organs recovered. The doctors were stunned. We had another beautiful few years with him… smoke-free, with a new love for chocolate turtles.
That experience planted something in me: the deep knowing that our bodies are designed to heal when given the right environment. God made us with extraordinary capacity… and surrounded us with a natural world designed to support that healing. So, when I found the certification in working with the nervous system, it felt less like a new discovery and more like a divine breadcrumb I was always meant to find.
A Word (or Two)
“Lift up your eyes to the sky and see for yourself…”
—Isaiah 40:26 TPT
When God led the Israelites out of Egypt, He used a cloud and fire in the sky - not a trail on the ground. We weren’t made with eyes on our toes. We were designed to look up.
To seek.
To worship.
To follow.
The act of looking down constantly… at screens, at devices… does more than curve our posture. It curves our soul inward. It cues the body into a stress response. Over time, it shapes the very function of our nervous system. Looking down becomes default. Looking up becomes foreign.
“I lift my eyes to you…” —Psalm 123:1 NLT
Yes! We were made for … looking up!
A Movement
Today’s movement is as simple as it is sacred:
Look up.
In your morning rhythm, try this:
Stand tall.
Stretch your arms overhead. (Optional: clasp your hands to deepen the stretch.)
Gently lift your eyes and head… without overextending… just enough to orient upward.
Hold for 30 seconds. Breathe.
Identity Signal
When we look up, we send a message to the world that we are present & at attention. We aren’t hiding or looking down in shame. We signal confidence in who we are and where we are going and who we are in the room with. We have nothing to hide. We are here for it - whatever it is.
A Reflection
Instead of going inward with closed eyes today, I invite you to go outward. Literally.
Step outside—or to a window. Even a hallway will do.
Notice your default gaze. Where do your eyes fall?
Ask God to guide your gaze today—to what He wants you to see.
Now, look up.
Now, Journal:
What shifts?
What do you see with new eyes?
A Closing Word
“See yourselves co-raised with Christ. Now ponder with persuasion the consequence of your co-inclusion in him. Relocate yourselves mentally. Engage your thoughts with throne room realities where you are co-seated with Christ in the executive authority of God’s right hand. Becoming affectionately acquainted with throne room thoughts will keep you from being distracted again by the earthly realm.” - Colossians 3:1,2 The Mirror
To look up is to realign. It repositions us… spirit, body, and nervous system.
Looking down distracts. Looking up acquaints.
Two different directions. Two different states of being.
Let’s stop letting our phones write our postures - and direct our nervous system.
Let’s return to our original Divine design.
Look up.
A Song
🎶 “Look Up, Child” by Lauren Daigle
Always in your corner,
MelAnn
Identity & nervous system strategist utilizing God’s blueprint for healing & Kingdom identity . I teach my clients how to stimulate the "rest and digest" nervous system to escape the "fight or flight" mode our world's hustle tries to keep us in and step confidently into who created them to be.
We were created for Eden - let’s keep our nervous system there even if we can’t be.
If someone came to mind while reading this, forward it to them as a reminder to look up too.
An Invitation
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Community
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I am hosting a summit this fall with the theme: Unlocking God’s blueprint for healing… I am looking for contributors. This is not like any summit I’ve come across. There are a variety of ways to contribute.. this is about flow and sanctuary - not demands, firm structure and hustle. So check it out and whether it’s for you or not, if you know someone who is a good fit to become a contributor, please share this with them! Thank you!
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This is definitely something that I witness in 6 of my grandchildren hunched over their phones from 9, 10, 13, 13, 15, 16 years old🙃