No Longer a Slave

Did you know that if a store mannequin were a real woman that she would be too thin to menstruate? Or that Americans spend more than 40 billion dollars a year on dieting and diet related products?

Last week I went to a talk at the University of Minnesota by Swami Veda Bharati. He is a long time yogi and student of Swami Rama. When I entered the auditorium I had a lot of judgment about the other attendees and the environment (that will be a whole separate blog), however, when he started talking things changed.

He said something at the beginning of his talk that was so profound: “The body is a fit vessel for the spirit of god within.” This got me thinking...

I realized at that moment that I have spent a large part of my life hating my body—it started in elementary school being the tallest girl in my class. Then it moved into being ashamed of my curves as a teenager. I have spent a lot of my life feeling like I wanted my body to be different than it is.

This feeling is only magnified by images of thin models in magazines and beautiful actresses on the movie screen. There seems to be a lot of pressure from popular culture to look at certain way. I made the decision about 7 years ago to stop reading fashion magazines like Cosmo and Vogue (you may look at my wardrobe and question that decision--haha).

“Operation Magazine Removal” was followed years later by getting rid of my TV. These may seem like drastic moves to some, but I also believe that the TV was feeding me messages about what to buy and how to look.

I really feel strongly that the media perpetuates an aesthetic that is almost impossible to live up to. Rather than being grateful for what we have, we desire to be thinner, more beautiful, and better dressed.

My wish is to have a healthy body and a healthy mind. I do things to achieve this—I do yoga and cook homemade meals to care for my body. I read a lot and do meditation for my mind. I live as if I am treating my body as a vessel “for the spirit of god within.”

I refuse to be enslaved that the notion of being healthy means being movie star beautiful or model thin. I am grateful for a healthy body and mind.

A challenge for you:

• Be aware of your “self talk” throughout the next week. Is your inner “story” telling you that you are “less than” or “not good enough” because you may not live up to what the media believes is beautiful.

• Everyday start the day with gratitude for what you have. What aspects of your body and mind are you thankful for?

• Ask yourself: How am I treating my body today as a vessel for the spirit of god within? What am I doing to nourish myself?