“Your body is precious. It is your vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.” ~ Buddha
Your body is such a invaluable, lovely, divine gift…
“Your body is precious. It is your vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.“
My body and your body are such incredible things. We exist in this earthly way because of our human forms and these soul vehicles we traverse this life with are beyond precious. Our bodies deserve love, tenderness, and affectionate care. Yet so often we tend to treat our bodies callously, cruelly, or disconnectedly and we judge these beautiful gifts with disgust and meanness.
When I stop and think of the ways I’ve been cruel to and passed judgment upon my body it makes me cringe. Why? Why have I been so mean to myself? Because I didn’t meet an outward ideal? Because I allowed society to suck me in and form notions in my head of what I should be and look and feel like? Because I took out on my body the pains I was feeling in my soul due to goodness knows what? Yes to all of it and most likely more.
Instead of focusing on the whys, though, and how bad it can make me feel to know I’ve hurt my body and treated it as less than, I instead choose to focus on how I can treat it better. How can I be kinder, more loving and tender to myself, to my body? How can I treat this precious body of mine with care? How can I show my body respect and most importantly how can I shower my body with gentle, patent devotion? How can you?
It starts with listening. Listen to what your body wants, what it needs from you. For example, when I have a bad moment and cause self-harm (I have suffered from Dermatillomania since I was young), instead of spinning completely out of control, I do my best to stop and forgive myself. Then I begin to soothe my skin. I treat it with tenderness and I pamper it with gentle soaks in the tub and I caress it with soft, healing oils and creams. It’s almost meditative and it does more for the upset I’m feeling than the painful way. It has taken a lot of time and effort, but by actively choosing to treat myself with care, I have found a path to awakening.
The same can be done with every aspect of your body. By choosing to treat your body as the precious gift that it is, you are choosing love. It may seem impossible, but you will be so much better off by choosing to love and care for your body exactly how it is. Yes, there will always be times you hate it, or how it’s being. Hell, those who have chronic illness know all too well how much it can feel like this precious gift of a body feels more like a prison sentence, and yet so many choose compassion for themselves. They know the hate and they don’t want to foster any more of it then is absolutely necessary.
Your body is precious. It is your vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care. Treat it with love. Treat it with kindness and patience and tenderness. Treat yourself with all the devotion of an enamored lover. You are worthy and worth it and you deserve every kindness so start by giving it to yourself.
Namaste ~ Ella
~ Affirmation Mondays are positive words of wisdom, insight and joy to add a bit of cheer to the start of your week and any day you need a bit of a pick-me-up! For even more inspiration please check out my Affirmation Mondays Pinterest Board and my Quote-spirational Board!
~ Visit my Instagram ~ on Mondays there are Inspirational quotes and every day has a little jolt of happiness to brighten up your life!
Lawhimsy 