Body as Temple
Ultimately, it is about you. Life is about you. About how you feel, in your skin. Day to day. Right? If you don’t feel good, then nothing feels good–work, play, love, friends. If you aren’t groovin’ in your body, how can you do the work you love, and love your work? If you aren’t loving yourself, how can you love your partner, your kids, your dog? You have heard it before, your body is your temple. And this is all we have, this beautiful body of ours.
So how do you feel better? Not by overindulging, for sure. Not by overeating–are you an emotional eater? And not by just sitting there, wallowing in self-pity because your body feels stagnant. (Although sitting is sometimes a great way to just be, cut the wallowing!)
The best way to feel better, and probably the quickest, is to move that body of yours! Get up, go outside, walk your dog. Breathe deep, take a few moments, or an hour, and be kind to yourself.
There are lots of ways to self-love, to self-care. But I really believe the quickest way to feel better, is to shake it up a bit. Move it. Go out and take a movement class for yourself — could be zumba, salsa, could be yoga. What would feed your soul and body right now? Or how about that bellydance class? Where you move your body in different ways, acknowledging areas of your body that you usually ignore, like your lower abs that need some toning, your ribcage, your overlooked feet, the tips of your fingers, to that deep belly breath…
Some of you know what I’m talking about. Some of you do this weekly, or even a few times a week. It becomes an addiction, doesn’t it? In the best of ways. Because taking that dance class is a time out for you, a respite from the work-a-day world. Maybe it is a moment to laugh at yourself, or feel kinda sexy, or wear that necklace you never wear, and work up a good sweat, and smile at someone else. Not to mention toning up your whole being. You walk out exhilarated, maybe wiped out from moving for an hour. You feel better, your energy is higher, you have a grin on your face. You feel that body, the muscles that are newly used, the glisten of your skin, the highs from the adrenaline rush, the high that comes from making beautiful magic. This is for yourself.
Even I can be that one who sits at my desk, working all day, forgetting to drink water, so into my writing work that I pass on taking a break. Even just to get up and stretch. I need a constant reminder to myself, too, to shake it up a bit! Especially now as winter sets in, with the days shorter and darker, colder and damper here in Portland, it is easy to hunker down and be a little lazy and reclusive! When I do move it, it is so refreshing, from the littlest stretch to a full on hour of dance, or more! Plus I find I get more done when I am more active and more connected with my body, which of course gets me more connected with my spirit and passion too. And then I can get into my projects with a different outlook, a new zest. What about sex?! Now we are talking…
I know what a full schedule can look like, I know how hard it can feel to actually take some extra time away. How about a high energy 20 minute snippet at lunch time… or a short stretchy warmup before you head out for the day. Or a soothing, moving meditation before you settle in for the night?
So how are you going to keep that in your life? In your already packed schedule? Again, moving your body, dancing, is going to make you feel better, and when you feel better, you can take on your life with more love and passion, and compassion too. Don’t you want that? How about that deeper connect with yourself? That blissful movement that comes out of your heart and soul? When you are super aware of your body, and how it is working, and how it is feeling, on the outside and the inside.
How about you make that little extra time for yourself, every day, even if it is 5-20 minutes, to stretch, breathe, meditate, get up out of that chair, move across the floor–whether it be your kitchen, the yard, or your dance studio–and enjoy yourself. Good tunes or quiet, listen to what you need at that moment. Honor your body and your space, work it easy or work it hard. Find out what you need, right now. You are a goddess, or god, and your body is your temple. Feel good, and then that passes on, right? Trickle down effect…smile…oh yeah…
Thanks for being here, and enjoy your week!
Got any comments…we love to know what you think! Write on down below… xoxo
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What do I have for you? I have online classes that you can do on your own time, plus a few online 4 week courses to take you deeper into your self (Tribal Bliss #2 starts February 9th—with some dance, yoga, writing, movement, meditation…yum…)…and I have a gorgeous annual weekend tribal bellydance retreat too, at Breitenbush Hot Springs coming up in April. Something to fit into your full schedule..! Please check it out and get that body moving! It is time for you to shine!
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