In today’s Mid Week Mindful Moment, I am sharing a letter that I wrote to my body. Even though it is coming from a woman’s perspective, any reader could easily apply their perspective to their own body. I shared this letter in my last Intuitive Meditation Workshop where we all were focusing on Ahimsa-Respect for all living things (including ourselves). Today, one of the participants specifically asked me to share the letter here. Thank you sweet friend for encouraging vulnerability and growth.
A Conversation With My Body
Today I had a conversation with my body. It started with my mind. “Why am I so hard on myself? Why do I think I am ugly and overweight and unworthy of love? Why do I not see my beauty? Why do I not make nutrition and well-being my number one focus EVERY DAY?” I continued to ask, “Why am I tired? Why am I too lazy to get up early to do all of the things that need to be done? To stop procrastinating? Why do I not look at me as a person? My person.”
After I berated myself for all of the things that I think I am not, I stepped out of my mind and into my heart. Oh, Dear One, the heart. Why can’t I see my body as anything but beautiful? It was time to allow my unrealistic, high expectation of impossible perfection to soften into my heart. I remember that I actually exhaled and slumped into softness.
I began to ask specific body parts questions. I asked my nose why I didn’t see anything but perfection in it? My belly, why I have not thanked it for digesting my meals or carrying my three daughters during pregnancy? My breasts, I asked, “Why have I not thoroughly enjoyed the sexual experiences that have been there to enjoy?”
I began to thank my body. My feet, my ankles and my legs for carrying me since the day I learned to walk. For trekking my butt 26.6 miles down the roads of Death Valley when I ran my marathon. I thanked my thighs and glutes for every time I made it to the dance floor, and for allowing them to show me the sweet flow of life that I’ve been given.
Miraculous appreciation for these parts started flowing from my heart. I continued to appreciate all of the bodily functions in my core that are on auto pilot. The fact that they keep going without a thought on my part to function, day in and day out. I then thanked my heart for the complexity it contains, for my aura of gratitude, feelings of love and appreciation, and for the ability to self-check my mind.
I ended this conversation with my body, with my life as a whole. I realized that my life is my bodily experience. Why did it take me so long to be happy? To love me for me? This was a long overdue conversation. My intention now is to remember. To let go. To thank and to stop the nonsense of body shaming. To stop believing and reliving other people’s opinions of my body, and to immerse my body with the self love it deserves.
Namaste. Janay-
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