Our bodies are resilient and powerful. They have the ability to bounce back from almost everything. When we get hurt, we know we will physically heal. When we get ill, recovery is possible with the right tools. Our physical bodies house our Souls and allow us to move through life yet many of us don’t have a relationship with our bodies.
Body freedom is coming into alignment with your body and rebuilding that relationship. Society has conditioned us into how our bodies should look. Then there is the impact of trauma on our bodies. Often people who have been through physical trauma become disconnected from their bodies. At times we may dislike or distrust our bodies, associating our physical bodies with pain and hurt.
Reconnect with your body. Learn to love the resilient home of your being. Despite the trauma, you are still here; still in your
body. It may not look the same as before but every mark, every scar, every so-called imperfection, is a mark of your strength, determination, courage and resilience. Stand in front of a mirror and look at your body. What thoughts come to you about it? If you were looking at a dear friend right now instead of at yourself, would you think those same thoughts? Would you say those thoughts out loud to them? If someone you cared about was speaking negatively about their body, you would stop them immediately and point out how beautiful and strong they are. Do the same for yourself. Stop yourself if a negative thought comes up and replace it with a positive one about your body instead.
Fall in love with your body:
- Close your eyes and find a quiet space where you can be alone. Sit comfortably or lie down. Focus on your breath, deepening your breathing with each inhale.
- Starting at the top of your head, focus on each part of your body, moving down to your feet. Start with your head – your hair, your face, your eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
- Next move down your neck, your throat, your chest, the internal organs supporting you, then move down your arms to your hands and fingers, your abdomen, your pelvis, your legs, your feet and your toes.
- As you move your awareness to each part, listen to what comes. What do you love about that part of you? If you don’t love it, what feeling do you have about it? Let whatever feelings you have surface. Examine the feelings. Where do these feelings come from? Is it because you think you should look a certain way or heard negative words from someone? How do you really feel about that part of you? If there was no one to judge, no standard deemed acceptable, how you would you feel about it?
- Perhaps physical trauma caused you to be disconnected from your body. Your body supported you through that trauma. You are here. You are alive. You have a greater purpose and, whatever that experience was, it shaped who you are. Send love to your body, wrap it in a hug, and thank it for travelling this earthly journey with you. Forgive yourself and your body by acknowledging its miraculous nature.
- The more you find to love about your body, the more in alignment you become with your body.
Listen to your body. Your body speaks to you constantly. When we learn to listen to our bodies, we are able to know intuitively what our bodies need in that moment, and which treatment or action will make us feel better. Start by listening to the small things, e.g. when your tongue feels parched because you are thirsty, drink a glass of water. The more you listen to the cues your body is giving you, the more connected you are, and you are able to prevent illness.
Your body has never wronged you – it was on your journey with you and received the visual impact of your trauma. It survived. Become one with your body and fall in love with yourself again.
What do you love most about your body? Reply in the comments or email me and let me know.
Many Blessings,
Santa
