Do you treasure your body as your most loyal friend?
This is something I had never considered before I experienced my own life-changing journey of trauma recovery.
Ten years ago, I was a busy mom of four. I volunteered a lot of hours at church and worked part-time as a Fitness Instructor and Aerobics Program Coordinator at two local universities (BYU & UVU).
My main worry as far as my body was concerned was managing it, and I was a harsh taskmaster. I was focused on staying in shape, maintaining my ideal weight, and performing all the tasks required of me in my various responsibilities.
When I experienced a life-changing trauma in my marriage, my body suddenly seemed to become my enemy. I couldn’t sleep, eat, or even function. I would spin into panic attacks and was often completely overwhelmed by emotions I couldn’t control.
During this very difficult time, I slowly learned to develop an entirely different relationship with my body: a compassionate relationship of listening, honoring, and trusting.
Now, ten years later, I spend my life helping others to experience the same shifts that allowed me to heal in ways I could never have predicted.
In order to change our relationship to our bodies, we have to understand a few basic truths:
- Your body is hard-wired to survive: it constantly reads your surroundings and responds in ways it unconsciously believes will keep you safe.
- Your body is like a container: it holds every experience, emotion, memory, impression in its tissues and stores it until you give it permission to let go.
- You are not your body. You are not your mind. You are the soul inside who is able to observe your thoughts and emotions and choose which to follow and which to release.
Mindfulness, embodiment, and meditation can help us connect with the soul inside, bringing wisdom, clarity, and compassion to all the thoughts, emotions, and sensations of this human experience.
If you could use a fresh start in your relationship with your body, we’d love to have you join us at our embodiment classes, where we work out hard, practice yoga, and meditate.
Even coming once per week can make such a difference in how you feel on a daily basis. If you feel curious, come check it out! You’ve got nothing to lose but a lot of self-loathing.
