In the West, we’re trained to be mind-oriented and place value in masculine energy. Do, do, do. Often, our body gets short shrift. We (in general) take it for granted, feeding it lower quality food, and sitting much of the day.
However, it’s better to treat our body as a temple, with respect. It’s our vehicle for experiencing this world.
Our world is very challenging, but is an opportunity to grow very rapidly. This can become the chance to live enlightenment in this life.
We know how to treat our body well and care for it. Why don’t we?
There can be several reasons.
For example, if we’re not consciously processing what’s arising, we can turn to comfort food, alcohol, or even drugs to relax or escape. These are designed to dull us for comfort.
Spiritual and sensitive people sometimes carry extra weight to help ground.
Many of us were shamed for our bodies when young. If that’s owned (taken personally), it becomes a state and trauma carried by the body. That means it becomes part of our protected identity. The body behaves how we’ve programmed it to.
Our conscious will can be nearly useless against our survival instinct, even when it’s not an actual survival issue. And if we find ways to avoid the immediate urge, the subconscious will work to sabotage our efforts. It’s important to protect that identity, doncha know.
This is why many weight loss and health improvement attempts fail. Not because we were weak or didn’t know what was good for us, but because we have some trauma fighting it.
What’s the trigger? For example, do we feel safer when we’re less attractive? Or do people expect less of us? Do we feel we don’t deserve happiness?
Of course, these are not questions to ask your conscious mind. It will just regurgitate a narrative. We don’t find answers to trauma in the conscious mind. The answers come from the subconscious, from our body. This needs a new way of listening.
Similarly, unmet emotional needs can be translated into physical states, becoming trauma.
All of these examples compete with or pull us away from self-care as it doesn’t meet our trauma-influenced identity. When we feel bad about failing, that just amplifies our identity and beliefs.
But as we become more conscious and heal, the opportunity can come to resolve these impediments to self-care and live a higher quality of life.
Davidya
Wow, this blog just validates, what I have thought about my body. I had an awakening when I was in India during the 10000 world peace assembly. I am now more conscious of what I do and how I treat my body.
Right, Lynette.
So much of this is automatic. We don’t even think about it until it becomes an issue. Or begins to become more conscious in other ways.
After being slim for a good part of my life, I started putting on weight. Just ignored it until it started to be a problem. And then discovered all the layers to it. Something like 8 different things encouraging it. (laughs)