Loving Your Body & Eliminating Shame
- Salma Summers
- Jun 1, 2020
- 4 min read
the body needs to be heard too. and a lot of times we ignore our bodies because we have been conditioned to believe that they aren’t important.
but what is more important than the vehicle that allows us to experience this thing we call life?
the body needs nutrients and needs time and attention. it needs to be heard and it needs you to start listening. it gives you clues all the time, but you've been conditioned to ignore it or drown it with pain killers. and because this reality has always placed prominence on the mind - the body has been seriously neglected.
we are so busy living in our heads that we misuse our bodies until they can’t take it anymore - this is why dis-ease is so prevalent in the world.
listen to your body.
if you do, you’ll hear it say “stop suffocating me”
only when we separate ourselves from a thing do we end up hurting that thing. we have been conditioned (especially as women) to be ashamed of our bodies - therefore we have separated ourselves from our bodies.
to the body, this feels like suffocation. it has become your slave without you even recognizing that you have enslaved it.
our bodies work for us but if we don’t reward them for their work, they eventually break down.
rewarding our bodies looks like taking care of ourselves.
it looks like meeting our needs or seeking out support when we can’t meet them directly ourselves.
either way, we can’t expect our bodies to show up for us if we don’t show up for them.
so i want to share with you the 6 ways that the body needs you to show up for it.
1. movement
the body needs to move, it was made to move. there are so many different ways of movement that are all beneficial for the body. exercise the way you find to be pleasurable to you. it doesn’t matter if you stretch, dance, run, walk, hike, box, swim .. you know what i’m getting at. moving your body isn’t just about keeping you physically healthy, it is also about moving stagnant energy and allowing it to leave your energy field - we have all known someone who can run “out” their anger. emotions are energy in motion and they need to stay in motion to be processed.
2. nutrients
the body needs nutrients. certain foods hold immense amounts of nutrients. if you are reading this it means you have access to the internet, a quick google search will give you lists of foods that have the most nutrients - there are plenty to choose from. and if you are really picky you can find some of them in supplement form.
3. positive regard
the body needs to be seen in a positive light. if you are constantly calling yourself names or thinking mean thoughts every time you pass a mirror - the body hears that and it feels that. your mind creates the hatred you feel for your body but your body is the one that deals with the consequences. you essentially have been conditioned to go against yourself. but since you have detached from your body - you don’t recognize the pain you put yourself through when you don’t approve of your body. a lot of people don’t even recognize that they do this because it is so ingrained in their subconscious mind. the next time you are in front of a mirror, pay attention to how you treat your body and begin to give it unconditional positive regard. you can start by saying “i love you, i’m sorry, please forgive me, thank you.” and repeat this prayer to yourself day in and day out - every chance you get in front of the mirror.
4. gratitude
similar to positive regard your body also needs gratitude. your body does so much for you, it needs to be acknowledged and appreciated. this goes hand in hand with positive regard and the more you are grateful, the more the body wants to show up for you.
5. rest and rejuvanation
we need lots of rest, lots of sleep, and lots of water. we need to make sure that when our bodies signal us, we listen. there are so many times the body says enough and we continue to push it without giving it it’s proper respect. get a massage, meditate, sleep as much as you desire - these are all ways to give the body the proper rest and rejuvenation it needs.
6. expression
last but not least - allow your body and mind to work together. give it a voice and the space to express itself. understand that you are mind, body, and spirit - but in a lot of ways the body has been dismissed and suppressed. continue to ask your body what it needs throughout the day and give it exactly that.
if you have other ways that you can add to the list feel free to comment below!
take care of your body like you take care of your most precious belongings. although our conditioning has put superficial importance on our bodies - they are much more than that and they deserve to be treated with love and care.
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