Relationship

My body is my primary relationship. Love affairs end, children grow up, parents pass, friends drift apart, the workplace and coworkers change. All relationships come and go, but the one constant in my life that is with me through all of it is this body. I consider it my primary relationship, and it has had many different incarnations. At times I have been demanding and hard on myself like an abusive lover, trying to whip myself into shape with punishment. I have been a patient mother, sitting with injuries as they heal, and even my own best friend, listing the things I love about my body.


Notice the type of relationship you have to your body. When I am practicing yoga, I cultivate more patience and self-love. I begin to notice the voice in my head, and how I speak to myself when I am challenged by a pose. Imagine the way that you would want to be treated by your ideal mate, and treat yourself just that way. The workout is the exact place where I am asked to show up for that relationship and challenge myself in the most loving way to grow and be the best I can, without judgment. If you notice that you are being hard on yourself, that is good. You have noticed. Now see if you can replace negativity with more encouraging thoughts. 


Having grown up in a family where there was divorce, the idea of marriage really scares me. This fear that full commitment may lead to loss has pushed me to choose something where the loss would be good... weight loss! I am married to exercise as a part of life. Marriage (I hear) is not always easy. For me, it is a loving commitment to my body, and to fulfill my “vows” I exercise consistently, whether I feel like it or not. I try to treat my body with the respect it deserves. When practicing yoga or exercise, some of the qualities I experience are:

• Acknowledgment for a job well done
• Gratitude for a healthy body that can move and breathe
• Communication, as in asking my body what is okay and modifying when necessary
• Feeling and sensing
• Playfulness and being able to enjoy my body
• Perfecting and cleansing with diet
• Finding balance and learning through turbulence and my body's breakdowns

Setting short term goals, and sharing with my community are a part of my spiritual practice, which is another aspect of being married to my body. Music is the great spirit that connects my physical body to something greater. Click here for my music mixes this month which revolve around love. And Click here for a free audio download: Balance routine.