Tight Isn't Strong
Yoga Path
We are frightened by our own bodies. We don’t look at them unless it’s to see how we look in a certain outfit before we walk out the door, make sure our hair and/or make up is done the way we wanted, and our smile looks shiny and bright. Looking at ourselves becomes motivated by what others will see. A dear friend told me about a practice his therapist told him to do. Stand naked in front of a mirror and just start pouring love into all those parts that don’t look the way you wish they would, and all those parts that do. He said it was sheer torture at first…but then something happened. He found a loophole to loving himself and overcoming the shame he carried. Most of us are pretty great at putting ourselves down more than honoring our wonderful-ness.
The pelvic floor is no exception to this shame and holds more than just about any other area of the body for most. In its relative newness to our awareness, taking care of the health of our pelvic muscles and organs through mindfulness and exercise feels overwhelming, and can create a sense of panic or a brick wall of resistance. Once we recognize this pattern of reaction to an area of our body, we can begin to reclaim and change our relationship to ourselves. Life really does open a door for us. We start coming from a whole body and whole mind perspective. Loving ourselves is the foundation for our physical and personal power. It begins one breath at a time. It begins with one self-directed “I love you” at a time. Just start there. Every time it crosses your mind…throw an “I love you” to yourself in the mix. It will change your life.