Day 6

Today's meditation really made me stop and think about the world we live in. For some reason, I am not quite sure why - but even our best doesn't feel quite good enough anymore. We are always striving for more - you reach a certain bar and then try to climb higher and higher until it is no longer attainable. Instead of being proud of what we have achieved, we have a sense of let down that we didn't go just a bit further. The same holds true with our health, about three years ago I went to the gym 6 days a week and did super-sets with heavy weights for hours and would not stop until my body reached total exhaustion. I did this for about a year, constantly increasing my goal of lifting heavier and doing more and more super-sets  I was in the best shape of my life but I couldn't see that at the time. I just wanted to keep getting stronger and fitter. By the end of it I realized that I couldn't keep it up, when I did a leg workout I wouldn't be able to walk properly for days from the muscle exhaustion. The funny thing was I couldn't figure out why being in pain everyday was something I wanted for myself – all this suffering just to look a certain way.

Millions of women every day are bombarded with the media’s idea of the “perfect” body. These unrealistic images are portrayed in women’s magazines all over the country. The message being sent to women is that they are not pretty or skinny enough. Magazines portray and compare happiness with being thin; therefore some feel if they are not thin, then they are not happy. These ideals can be both physically and emotionally unhealthy.

I no longer spend hours at the gym and I am sure my body thanks me for that. I don’t read fashion or gossip magazines, or watch reality TV shows, so it keeps me away from the media’s perception of “perfect” and for that my self-esteem and happiness are grateful.

Deepak said during the meditation that our bodies are “marvelous wonders of nature - flexible, dexterous and strong”. At every moment each of our bodies is absolute perfection, and loving our bodies no matter how they appear or feel, acknowledges our intrinsic belief that we exist without flaw. The power of such a positive self-image plays a vital role in experiencing perfect health. As we tell our bodies I am whole, I am beautiful, I am perfect just as I am, we create feedback loops that nurture every cell, muscle and organ and support health and vitality. There are likely some days when it is challenging to send positive messages to the body. Maybe you are living with a difficult illness, or you feel tired all the time, or your clothes fit too tightly. When we perceive that our bodies are aged, unfit, flawed, weak or diseased, we tend to focus on what we believe is wrong. We tell ourselves “I don’t like you, go away I can’t stand looking at you”. Imagine that this ache, sickness or condition were a friend sitting right before you, sad and weeping. We wouldn't ignore him/her or express irritation; instead we would embrace and nurture her, offering words of encouragement and love. It is the same for our bodies, when we have an ache, pain, sickness or perceived imperfection; it is important that we acknowledge those areas and offer them love.

Centering Thought:

"I am perfection. I am healthy. I am strong."

Sanskrit mantra:

So hum. -  I am.

Mindful Moment:

As we learn more about the messages we send our bodies, we also become more aware of how we talk to ourselves. When we have an ache, pain, sickness, or perceived imperfection, it's important to pay attention to these signals from our body and mind and respond with compassion. During meditation, pay attention to how your body feels. If there are feelings of discomfort anywhere in the body, send that area messages of kindness and love.

Interesting links:

3 keys to living the life you want

Make peace with your body: A 3-step guide to self-confidence

 "Friendship with oneself is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world." —Eleanor Roosevelt