in - Whole Body Intelligence | Awareness, HEALTH & WELL-BEING 1,258 Words

Letter to My Body

Dear Body,

We have had 33 years together so far and I really just want to take the time to appreciate and thank you for everything you have done for me… despite my frustration with you in those times where you are not ‘complying’ with my wishes. I am really beginning to understand that you are helping me, getting my attention to let me know that the way I am living isn’t our natural way.

You have constantly communicated to me when things are not going so well and need to be looked at and have equally told me when I am on the right track. I must apologise for all the times I don’t listen to you when you are trying to get my attention: this must be hard work so I appreciate your patience and unwavering support.

We both know full well that when I was a child I was awesome at listening to you – it came out so naturally. I reaped the rewards of living this way as I had so much fun in you dear body and felt so much joy, playfulness and silliness; I loved my family and close friends and I loved to explore in the paddocks and bushes, make huts in the trees, connect to the animals, dress-ups, play with my brother and sisters and race around on my bike. Life was simple. Good times.

But as you may remember, as the years passed things started to get a bit intense and it began to feel not as easy to be with you. I got caught up in the emotions and the unease of life and felt unable to hold you steady through all of this. But I mean, let us be honest, no one is perfect and I did what I felt I could at the time.

I can remember things started to go a little pear-shaped around 8 years old when I got caught up in trying to be perfect. Perfection I have since learnt is extremely destructive and takes you down a slippery and very unpleasant path. But as much as I allowed it to consume me at times, it didn’t consume you.

So as the years went on with all these outside forces of life presenting themselves daily and my perception of them, – thinking what I had to do, who I had to be, the ‘good girl’ mentality, the pressures of society’s ways, – the discontentment I felt within me and those around me really started to take its toll. I wasn’t able to stay steady in high school as well as I had hoped and it was a struggle throughout much of my teenage years, as you dear body are well aware. You always let me know with that underlying sense that something wasn’t right. Thank you, dear body, for if it wasn’t for this I may have never questioned things.

That underlying depression and anxiety I felt as a teenager and when becoming a Mum, that was you wasn’t it? Letting me know that there is more to life and that too often I was giving up on my Joy. The way I was living was not working all the time and you made it clear many times throughout my life with many messages physically.

I am sure you can remember these particular bodily signs, messages and feeling of unease well:

  • Those constant cold sores you kept giving me as a teenager? I mean come on, that wasn’t fun but I get it, it was you communicating that I was in a constant state of being run down and that I needed to look after myself.
  • The short time I dabbled with an eating disorder and I got so thin and our skin lost its glow. The unhealthy looking body was your way of screaming out – Look! This is not ok. My mind was telling me one thing but you dear body were clearly telling and showing me the truth.
  • The years of digestive issues, as painful and uncomfortable as they were at times, was your way of letting me know the food I was eating was not supporting us and was making us sick.
  • Being sick and exhausted the next day after drinking alcohol. How could I forget the time you put blood in my urine? Thanks for that very loud and clear message of drinking far too much than my body at 17 years old could take.
  • I especially appreciate how clear you were when I was with the wrong men. Trust me, I heard you loud and clear despite my mind’s need for attention and affection trying to convince me otherwise.
  • The white spots you have put on my nails to let me know I am lacking and not absorbing zinc very well. Nice work!
  • My ‘Perfection Ideals’ when becoming a Mother. The anxiety this created made a ripple effect down into you dear body, and I could literally feel this tension running down my arms and inside my chest, almost in my heart. Thank you for this feeling as it was this that kept telling me that this type of tension is not healthy and that it doesn’t need to be this way.

I now know dear body it was purely you communicating to me that I needed to change my ways and connect back to you; to get out of my head with all its chit chat and nonsense. I understand now that by truly listening to you, we are a team for an amazing life together.

And my gosh how exquisite and right it feels when we are connected, at ease and completely filled with my true self –– sounds corny but it’s true. My favourite way to connect more with you is being present with our movements, as I am now, feeling how lovely our fingers feel typing this. And I really notice the difference, how we feel better when we have taken the time to care for us, whether it be healthy delicious food, the Gentle Breath Meditation™, early to bed and early to rise; it feels awesome as it allows a more connected and purposeful intention going into our day. I have also been noticing how I feel more me, open and confident when wearing and choosing clothes that we feel great in and not clothes that have just been thrown on you in the morning.

So, my dear and truly amazing body, I trust you can feel my absolute love, respect and appreciation I have for you – though I am sorry I may not always show it and live it, you know I’m working on it.

Here’s to the rest of our lives with our Mind and Body working as one, in union with each other. Here’s to our life learning more from you and understanding; your unique way, illness or accidents or whatever unfolds before us, they are simply messages that I can choose to listen to and not regard as an inconvenience. Here’s to our life embodying you as MY body with a forever deepening care of self-love and accepting every part of you, for all that you are, just as you are, warts and all!

And most importantly, just simply knowing and claiming the absolutely amazing team that we are.

With Lots and lots of love

Me Xoxoxoxo

By Anonymous

Related Reading:
The Body’s Intelligence
Dear Me: A Letter to My Relationship with Me
What Does My Body Know?