Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Practice Peace with Our Bodies

Even if you do not suffer from an eating disorder, this is an amazing method of staying present to our inner experiences. Cissy Brady-Rogers, a psychotherapist specializing in food and body conflicts, developed the idea of practicing peace with our bodies. This is a way to learn to fully inhabit, care for, appreciate, and enjoy the very flesh we have criticized, hated, feared, and punished. I truly believe that this can be a powerful means of connecting with our bodies and practicing mindfulness.

Mindfulness is rooted in Eastern meditation traditions. The Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh stated this:
"Peace is present right here and now, in ourselves and in everything we do and see. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it. We don't have to travel far away to enjoy the blue sky. We don't have to leave our city or even our neighborhood to enjoy the eyes of a beautiful child. Even the air we breathe can be a source of joy. We can smile, breathe, walk, and eat our meals in a way that allows us to be in touch with the abundance of happiness that is available."
I find that I constantly dwell on the negative aspects of my life and am never fully present. My motto..."tomorrow is a new day." But...why don't I tell myself that each minute is a new minute provided by God and should be glorified! Why do I not take the time to enjoy the blue sky? Just some food for thought...yes that was an intended pun (teehee).
Tonight I am going to practice mindfulness by concentrating on this very moment without concern for the past for the future.
XOXO,
JM

1 comment:

  1. Hi,

    You have an extremely nice blog. To become a prosperous person the essential factor would be to have positive thinking.

    ReplyDelete