Mirror Mirror
The Gift of our Physical Form
I know I’m not the only one who feels uncomfortable about my body sometimes, especially post holiday season. I catch myself not feeling thin enough, strong enough, attractive enough, young enough and healthy enough, just to name a few. I also notice that I compare my body to others and even my younger self.
I honestly owe it to my self-care practice that keeps myself in check, to extend compassion and kindness to my physical form, as well as appreciating and celebrating the gift that is my body, rather than simply criticizing its shortcomings.
I invite you to just pause for a moment and contemplate the complexity of your body and all the amazing things it’s doing for you right in this moment. The light reflecting off these words through your eyes is being transmitted by your brain as neurons fire and interpret the information to you. Your body is digesting your last meal into complex molecules like glucose, which is giving you energy. And, your respiratory system is breathing in oxygen circulating around your body providing the basic building blocks that our bodies need to survive. Even this simple breakdown of just a few elements, reminds us of how incredible these interconnected systems working subconsciously are.
Our bodies are the vehicle that allows us to experience life. They give us the gift of sound to be able to hear the beat of the music and feel it through our bodies. They give us the gift of sight to marvel at the ethereal beauty of a sunset in all its shades of pink, orange, purple and blue. They give us the gift of taste, touch, thought and feeling too.
We can get so caught up in wanting our bodies to be something other than what they are, that sometimes we completely overlook the miracle that our bodies are.
Australian biochemist, Dr. Libby Weaver says that if you knew who you truly are, you would be in awe of yourself. Accepting our bodies and honouring them for all the amazing things they do for us every second is an important step towards self-love.
“if I am the longest relationship
of my life
isn’t it time to
nurture intimacy
and love
with the person
I lie in bed with each night”
If you enjoyed this content, please follow @projectbloom_aus on Instagram and subscribe for more thoughtful content.
