Mapping Your Body

Let's see where this leads us.

Let me just say from the get go that I’m not completely sure what I’m doing. Also, I’m not even attempting to be perfect.

I was looking through my substack settings this week and accidentally turned on the paid setting. Once it was done, I figured it was done. Then I realized there was a discrepancy with the Stripe payment transfer. So, if you find a payment and a refund on whatever method you used to subscribe here, I’m really sorry. I think it is fixed now, but if you have any other issues, please let me know.

Well, once I had the paid subscription turned on, I realized I had to create more content worth your time and interest. I decided to try a simple 6 week mini workshop on Mapping Your Body, with a goal of understanding the stories you tell yourself about your body.

The weekly topic of discussion will continue to come to you on Friday as a free post, with some thoughts from me and a journal prompt for you to write or reflect on, and a suggestion for an activity related to our topic. I will try my best (emphasis on TRY) to post a meditation, a short yoga practice, and maybe a live chat for anyone who wants to talk about the weekly topic. These will be available with the paid subscription.

Be patient with me as I explore!

This week’s topic: Meet Your Body

One of my earliest memories of my body happened when I was about three years old. We lived in a brick house somewhere in South Columbus, Georgia.qazs I had my own room, but only have vague memories of what it looked like.

One day I was playing with a metal, toy cash register. I remember turning it upside down and finding the screws that held the bottom onto the toy. I don’t know if one of the screws was already loose or if I somehow pried it loose, but I got it out and put it in my mouth. Before I realized what was happening, I swallowed the screw. I was terrified to tell my parents, so I walked around for three days afraid I was going to die.

Obviously, I didn’t die, but this tells me a couple of things. I was already afraid of doing something wrong. There was already some fear associated with my body.

The stories we tell about our bodies can be created before we even have real memories. They can implant themselves in our mind and heart even while we are in the womb. And they can hang around for a long, long time if we let them.

Those episodes or memories and the stories they create often still affect our relationship with our bodies today.

Reflection/Writing Prompt:

What is your current relationship with your body? How does it feel to live in your body right now? Are you aware of things that happened to you long ago that affect your relationship with your body now?

Activity:

If you’ve ever been to a physical therapist, you might remember those body outlines that you have to mark based on where you need the PT’s attention. Consider creating a body map of key memories, moments, or sensations associated with your body. Take a sheet of blank paper and draw a big outline of a body. Then fill in all the details you think are significant. Maybe you mark areas where you feel tension, ease, or emotions. You could use colors or symbols to express how your body feels in the present moment.

Upcoming:

On Sunday, we will work with our senses to understand more about our body.

On Wednesday afternoon, we will try a 45 minute zoom meeting to talk about any responses that come up for you and do a short yoga practice. I will send the link in the Sunday meditation email.

Compassion Moment:

Take a moment sometime today to put your hands on your heart. Remind your body that you are here, that you see her, and that you are going to take care of her.

Then remind yourself: I am learning to meet my body where it is, with curiosity and compassion.