Being in our body
- At October 02, 2017
- By Lisa
- In Experiences, Musings, Wellness
0
It was almost shocking – the feeling of submerging my body into that crystal blue pool on a brilliant September afternoon.
I can’t remember the last time I went swimming. It had become a long forgotten experience and the sensation of cool water completely suspending me was so foreign, so surprising, that it took my breathe away. It was a visceral awakening and I wanted more. I plunged beneath the surface.
Setting myself to dry in the sun, I thought about the last time I actually inhabited my body? Meditation and yoga will encourage these feelings of mindfulness, but what about all the other experiences we have – the daily experiences – that we miss because of our too busy schedules, our addictions on mobile devices, and fact that we are all too often lost in our own minds. Or perhaps it is that we simply are no longer aware of the pleasures our body can give to us.
Read More»Meditation bliss is crap
- At September 22, 2016
- By Lisa
- In Editorial, Wellness
- 0
Whoever said that meditation will bring you bliss was full of shit. For the last year or so, I have embarked on a quest for self awareness. I’ve found that breathing exercises can release stress, relieve anxiety, clear one’s mind, and calm the soul. Yoga has released knots and bundles of tight muscles in my body, increased my flexibility, and provided peace.
But the quest for self awareness, if done properly, is anything but blissful. Breakthroughs and epiphanies bring forth a lot of painful memories long ago repressed. New insights and awareness regarding not only yourself but those closest to you can be heartbreaking. Not always is what you learn through your study of mediation going to be peace, love, and tie-dye. In fact, I can tell you … it’s often very unpleasant.
Read More»Self care as resistance
- At August 07, 2016
- By Lisa
- In Features, Wellness
- 1
Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare. – Audre Lorde
It really wasn’t as dramatic as political warfare but then again in today’s political and socioeconomic environment, maybe it was. When I first read Audre Lorde’s quote it reminded me of the power of women and it wasn’t until recently that I discovered that the idea of taking care of one’s self, in terms of being fit, fashionable, and clean was very different from actually “caring for one’s self”.
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