The Power of the Body

“My body is a repository, one of memories, stories and treasures,

I hold onto them often, and forget sometimes of the value they hold;

I dive into the chambers of my flesh, unleashing my inner wisdom,

searching for meaning and seeking answers that slowly unfold.”

I never crawled as a child. My parents made endless efforts to get me on my knees and two palms, but I insisted that I sit on my hips and push my way forward. While many children choose to skip the crawling stage altogether, it makes me think of how babies develop differently, and even as young infants, their bodies hold the intuitive wisdom to guide their actions to derive comfort and recognize discomfort.

It’s common knowledge that one of the first things we develop as infants is movement, right from when we are still in the womb. However, as we grow up, and start evolving our cognition, we start disconnecting from our body and often forget the power that it holds in the form of experiences and patterns. We fail to listen to our body’s signals to pause and slow down, which can manifest in the form of headaches, body aches and fatigue. These indicators are powerful signals that our body provides when in need of self-care and rest, and yet we have somehow found ways to silence them. As a classical dancer, and now a dance movement therapy practitioner and a therapist in training, I have pushed myself to relearn how I respond to my body’s voice. While it’s an ongoing process, and one that will perhaps never end, I have realised the importance of being attentive and respectful of my body, accepting the different ways in which it speaks to me and staying true to my vulnerabilities and wounds.

When we open our mind to the wisdom of our bodies, we can find ways for them to interact and heal together. It can in turn open our minds to new experiences, form untroubled memories, tell our stories and seek new treasures.

Written by: Shravani Purandare

The art piece has been created in response to the post by Shravani Purandare ©Shravani PurandareADMT2020