Treasuring My Torso

http://www.nourishingconnections.com/

When we think of our torso, most of us groan or cringe. Some of us feel disgust or shame. And we often focus on all of the things we think are wrong with it: our shoulders are too broad, our back is too flabby, our belly is too big, and our breasts are too small or too large or not firm enough.

Sadly, when we describe our body in this disparaging way, we are doing to ourselves the very thing society does -objectifying ourselves. We are seeing ourselves and our bodies as objects, as things. Things to be looked at, judged, and compared.

And when we perceive our body as an object, we deny and diminish its value. We lose sight of the fact that this body is where we live. This body is our home. We forget that, just as the house we live in may look a bit worn over time with its sagging shutters and fading paint, we still value it and care for it, understanding that this home offers us shelter and comfort.

With this respectful attitude, we return to our torso, the part of us that houses the organs that fuel, nourish, and cleanse us every day. Where, between our nourishing breasts and supportive back and spine, our heart pumps 1900 gallons of nutrient - filled blood throughout our bodies and, contracting and expanding, our lungs bring us oxygen-rich air and release carbon dioxide. Where buffered by our belly and our behind, our ovaries and uterus enable us to create and grow another life. And where our kidneys, liver, stomach, gallbladder, and intestines work together to regulate our blood pressure, filter our blood, and also digest, metabolize, and utilize our food and excrete its waste.

Expanding our awareness of our torso and all that it embodies, we are able to experience appreciation for this amazing "object" that enables and nourishes our aliveness every moment of every day.

Stay Attuned Invitation
One hand on the chest, the other on the belly. Breathing, embodying, appreciating, being.

Stay Attuned Affirmation
"I treasure my torso."