Body Talk: A Mindful Approach to Self-Love
Real Talk! I think it’s about time that we speak lovingly to our bodies. They deserve it.
Let’s rewind for a second:
You see, for the past few weeks I’ve been taking a training on teaching mindfulness to teens. It’s a wonderful program and I’m learning more about myself in the process. Each week we immerse ourselves in a different practice. Most recently, the training has consisted of two techniques that I’ve utilized on and off since partaking in a Vipassana course( 10 – days of silent meditation) a few years ago in Myanmar.
Quick overview of two beautiful mindfulness practices:
A basic loving kindness (or metta) practice involves visualizing and sending love and kindness to others, to yourself, and so forth. Something along the lines of “ May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be free from worry, may you be filled with love and kindness.”
With a body scan, ultimately you are scanning and observing the body. You might go from head to toe or toe to head – noticing the sensations in various areas of your body.
*These are both spectacular practices that can bring real warmth, connection, and awareness into your world. I highly encourage delving into them!
Anywho, today I sat during my designated meditation time and realized that I’ve been combining loving kindness and the body scan for years. Ultimately, I’m one of those body talkers, it’s true!
I’m sure you’re wondering WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? TELL ME MORE!
If you think about it, these poor bodies go through SO MUCH. Everyday we force them to get up, to eat food (or food-like substances) that may or may not treat them well, we fill them with sugary beverages, maybe we smoke cigarettes, or put on toxic lotions and perfumes. Perhaps we drench them with coffee when we’re run down or dose them with sleeping medication when we’re revved up. This vessel we inhabit day in and day out just keeps puttering on. Do we think to ask if it’s okay? Do we ask if it needs something? Do we ever tell our body how grateful we are?
One might say, I’m tired or my head hurts. So there’s some awareness of the goings-on inside our enigma. But are you really connecting with your body? Are you having a warm-hearted, let’s have a cup of tea and get to know each other chat? My guess is that for the majority of the population – the answer is no.
I find it insanely mind-boggling that this body and all of it’s processes have been moving and grooving on this earthly plane for THIRTY THREE YEARS. I’m sure I’ll be even more mind-boggled when I’m 103! I recall when I first began to think about cultivating a relationship with the body. Once I truly realized the amount of time I had spent without awareness and connection, I became quite devastated. How could I have neglected my body for so long?!
A few years ago I started chatting with my body on a deeper level. I SWEAR I’M NOT WEARING A TINFOIL HAT HERE.
Conversing with your body is a beautiful, rejuvenating practice!
There have been studies about how talking sweetly with plants encourages their growth, why then are we so hesitant to talk sweetly with ourselves?
Recently I had a conversation with my uncle who freely admitted to having loving talks with his plants. Yet, when I brought up the concept of talking sweetly to the body, he just laughed! Yes, it may seem wacky, but I promise it’s rewarding.
I double- dog dare you! Spend some time saying hello! Get to know the various parts of your body, its likes/dislikes and what it needs.
Maybe your hair really would like another shampoo or your lungs would like deeper breaths? Maybe your intestines would like you to feel gratitude while eating? Maybe your skin would prefer a different face wash? Maybe your heart wishes you drank more water? Maybe your feet would love supportive insoles?
Get to know your body, it’s fascinating. Today I talked with my body on a whole new level. Not only did I connect with each area from head to toe – like “Oh hello forehead, hey jaw, what’s up nostrils?” But I continued further along and connected with the various systems of the body – the endocrine system, the circulatory system, and so forth.
It was a different perspective and I really feel as though I conversed with many areas neglected in the past. I felt my spinal cord smile. My circulation moved a little less sluggishly. My body had just a bit more bounce, a bit more joy from our conversation.
This body is a vehicle for us to experience the world in all its facets. It works tremendously hard to keep the heart pumping, the blood flowing, and the muscles and bones facilitating our daily movements. Our brain and spinal cord, our digestive system – it is all working endlessly to support our life. Are we supporting it? Are we feeling gratitude for it’s constant efforts? Are we cultivating relationship? Are we asking what are body needs and how we can be in balance?
100% Guaranteed – if you give your body a simple hello, a simple thank you – it’ll perk up just a little bit. Care for your body. It certainly and tirelessly cares for you.
Sending love and kindness to all the hardworking bodies out there!
