The Wisdom of the Body
Hello loves,
I’ve gotta admit, I’ve been struggling a bit lately. My joy, usually as effervescent as the bubbly white wine I’m drinking right now, has been a bit elusive. I’ve been plagued by decisional dissonance over things that truly don’t require the level of inner tumult I’ve put myself through. To sleep or wake up, to be social or solitary, productive or restful? Yet these simple—and admittedly very privileged dilemmas—have felt monstrous over the past couple weeks. Paralyzing. And so annoying!
But when I finally slowed down long enough to really BE with all the wrestlers inside of me a couple days ago, I realized that self-criticism was the real driving force of my decisional dissonance. It’s not that I didn’t know what I wanted (sleep, solitude, rest), but some finger-pointing part of me kept insisting that I should get up and take a long walk because it’s good for me and heaven forbid my thighs get any curvier. I should go to the gathering down the road because I will definitely die alone if I don’t. And I should always choose productivity over slowtime by the creek.
Really?
Shortly after I realized that the well intentioned but super judgy voices inside of me were driving my indecision, I had an energy healing session with a dear friend. She reminded me that these times are chaotic. That there are so many atrocities unfolding across the globe and at home. And that their impact on our hearts, minds, and energy levels IS PROFOUND.
Do you feel it too?
If so, I’m here to remind you that you are not crazy! It is a normal, beautiful human thing to feel sad, exhausted, angry, judgmental, numb, and anxious when bearing witness to genocide, mass deportation, ecosystem collapse, and the rise of fascism. It means you have empathy, compassion, and a sense of interconnection with all beings, and that’s some beautiful shit! That’s how our ancestors made it though the most recent Ice Age—not to mention the hundreds of thousands of years before that—and that’s how we will make it through these much hotter times. By caring for one another.
But we can’t care for one another if we don’t tend to ourselves simultaneously… or maybe even first.
And how do we tend to ourselves?
By slowing down long enough to know what we need. Slowing down long enough to filter out the “shoulds” we’ve internalized from the culture-at-large from the true, deep knowing that lives inside of us.
How do we tend to ourselves?
By developing a relationship with our bodies. And I’m not talking about the kind of relationship that involves a certain number of daily steps and acceptable foods and an anti-aging skin care regime.
No. I’m talking about the kind of relationship with our bodies that—like any truly supportive relationship—is full of curiosity, acceptance, and grace. I’m talking about a relationship with our bodies that is unconditionally loving.
I’m talking about allowing ourselves to feel ANYTHING and, rather than trying to wrestle whatever arises into a shape that fits some ideal of who we think we should be, inviting those feelings to express themselves MORE fully within us. And, through their authentic expression, letting them show us what we truly need. For me, it’s usually rest, laughter, art, and fresh goat cheese.
I don’t know how it is for you, but even with years of practice and training in mindfulness and somatic healing modalities, it can be super hard for me to create space to show up for myself as gently as I show up for others. And it’s hardest during the times I need it the most.
If you can relate (and live in Southern Oregon) please join me at Blissful Being Wellness in Grants Pass next Sunday, July 13th, to slow down long enough to feel into and honor your body’s deepest wisdom.
In this month’s Body Oracle Workshop we will explore movements inspired by the Capricorn full moon that help us feel grounded and connected to the earth. We will then deepen our relationships with those embodied shapes through freewriting, guided meditation, and the creation of a body oracle card that reflects the wisdom we already hold deep within. We will close our time together by sharing an oracle-card reading with each other.
And if you don’t live in Southern Oregon but yearn to slow down and connect in community, I’d love for you to join me for an online New Moon Circle on Sunday, July 20th. We will be honoring the new moon in Leo and working with Radiant Love and Creativity! These gatherings are intimate, playful, and nourishing and I’d love to share that space with you.
And no matter WHAT, please be easy with yourself as we travel through these uncertain times. Try to treat your own self as kindly as you would treat your most beloved friend, child, or lover. And if you forget to be nice to yourself, don’t beat yourself up about it! I’m imperfect, and you’re imperfect, and we are all worthy of love.
We are all deeply worthy of unconditional love.
In big love and radiant beauty, xo Bex
