In my discovery form for clients, I ask women to rate their stress levels from 0 to 10 with 0 being the lowest and 10 being the highest. Mostly the responses are in the range of 6 and 9.

Studies tell us that our stress levels – along with related disorders – are  rising at an alarming rate.

When women are unhappy, unbalanced, unhealthy, it shakes the very foundation of our society on a social, economic, political and spiritual level.

The native americans understood this clearly. In fact one of their basic values was:

To treat the woman as sacred. To protect and support her at all times.

The woman brings wisdom and intuitive capabilities that are needed by the world to function in a harmonious and healthy way.

But in order to access this wisdom she needs to connect with her most powerful ally and friend: the body.

Negative body-image has been linked not only to stress but also to anxiety and depression. It is truly the most debilitating and destructive phenomenon of our time.

To re-build our connection with our body, we need to understand how magnificent, miraculous and awe-inspiring it truly is.

For this, I propose you do one thing everyday that is loving toward your body. It could be a healthy snack, a happy dance or a loving self-hug.

Here’s a powerful practice I teach clients to re-connect with their power source.

Try this when you have some time and space: (5-20 minutes)

Sit or lie down comfortably and take a few deep breaths to relax.
Connect with your heart centre (place your hand there if you want) and feel the loving, warm energy arise from within you.

Take this feeling to the top of your head and continue down your face, front and back of the body, legs and feet.

Observe your judgements and thoughts as you move through each part. You might hear words like “fat” or “smelly” or “wrinkly” or you might feel sensations in your body like tightening or constricting as reactions to these body parts.

Send loving energy to that part. Acknowledge it for the role it plays in your life. For example, your feet help you stay balanced, take you from point A to point B, give your body a strong foundation etc. Say something like “I love my feet because ________.”

Do this for each part that you hold judgements or harsh feelings for.
When you’re finished, thank yourself for re-building this sacred connection with your body.

Developing a positive body image is a powerful way to completely change your relationship with your body. Instead of a source of angst or judgement it becomes a partner that works with you to make your goals and dreams a reality.

 

When in doubt, ask your body (Tweet it)