I got a question from one of my followers that I’d like to answer. He asked, “how do I take care my body when I feel it has betrayed me?” First, I want to acknowledge the feeling. It is truly impossible to care for something for which you have negative feelings. I can well understand feeling betrayed if you experience chronic pain. Whenever pain flares up and you can no longer do what you could do before the flare up, it is natural to feel betrayed.
That said, the answer to the question can be found in the question itself. Change how you feel about your body during flare ups. Instead of feeling betrayed, try getting in touch with what your body is going through and experience compassion for it.
Easier said than done, I know. If you need assistance in making this mental mindset shift, let me offer a specific example from my own life. Right now, my chronic lower back pain is particularly intense. I cannot walk without assistance from an able-bodied person. Before or this flare up, I could walk unaided. This situation is particularly troublesome for me, as I have much to do right now. I feel like my situation is unnecessarily slowing me down and I often find myself wondering if things will ever improve.
I feel betrayed and the last thing I want to do is exercise. But I need to take care of my body if I want to feel better. So what do I do?
I find that looking at my back pain as a separate entity from me has been helpful. I am not my pain. I discovered something through meditation, much study and discussion. I would not choose to be in pain and the same thing could be said for my body or back. In this way, I can have compassion and do what I need to do: exercise.
If you need help making this kind of shift a reality, please contact me!
P.S. I love this picture and just wanted to share it. It represents freedom. loving life and the unadulterated joy I’d like in my life.
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