befriending the body

The body is our home and companion for all of our time in this life. I marvel at what a different experience life is when we are able to befriend the body as opposed to resist, abuse, and despise it as many of us do.

What is your relationship like with your body? Would you describe yourself as friends, family, strangers, lover, enemy, or maybe a mix of all of those depending on the situation?

If you do not feel close or on good terms with the body, perhaps there can be space for you to start just by getting to know the body better. What are some of the typical sensations and energy present in the body ie. warm, cold, tingling, numb, pressure, aching, tense, soft, buzzing, restless, ease…? What does the body like? What doesn’t the body like?

For example, I notice that my body enjoys going for walks, taking moments to lie down, drinking water, avoiding processed foods, not sitting too long in my office chair… I notice the body likes these activities by noticing the way the body softens or offers a sense of warmth and ease when I engage in them.

Maybe you can start to journal and make note of a few of those likes and dislikes to get to know each other and support each other more. Maybe there can be a form of trust that can begin to develop that can allow you to slowly move out of residing only in your head and moving into the entirety of your being. This deeper understanding of each other and trust can aid you in softening and allowing where there previously was contraction, reactivity, and struggle.

A lot of us habitually hold all the time — our thoughts, our breath, our stress, our worries. We think the holding protects us. What if the strength is in the parts of the body where we soften and let go?

May this post allow you space for a softening and letting go where it’s available.

—Lissa E.