Our body, our friend

Our body, our friend

“The body is like a pet that has been discovered — it is a lovable animal.”  — David Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D.

by Mary Louse Delaney — 

This quote under the picture is from Dr. David Hawkins’ book, The Eye of the I, -sparks many thoughts about the body. First, let’s explore the definition of the word lovable. Webster defines it as having characteristics that attract love or affection; adorable; endearing.

Given that definition, how many of us give the body that kind of consideration? If you think about it, it all comes down to attitude. So let us play a little with Dr. Hawkins’ comparison of the body to a lovable animal, or if you do not have a pet, substitute a lovable friend.

First of all, we have to buy into the concept that we each have a relationship with our body. Does that seem foreign? It did to me too, at first. But as we explore this, we realize that we tend to approach the relationship with our bodies differently from the way we care for and love a good friend or a beloved pet. Because we cherish the friend or pet, we feed and love them.

Does this make sense to you? We love and pamper our friends; that’s how we develop the relationship, right? But when we explore some of the behaviors that nurture a friendship and compare them to the ways we treat our bodies, the difference is often astonishingly incongruent.

When a friend comes to visit, we do everything we can to make them feel comfortable. We stop our day to make time for them. We also take time to go to the store, buy their favorite foods and prepare them. We listen to their needs. The bottom line is that we give them time and attention. All these activities send the message that we care for them and want to maintain our friendship for many years to come. We demonstrate that they are lovable.

What if we took the same care with our bodies as we do that friend/pet? If so, then:

• We would listen to our bodies.
• We would feed them foods to keep them healthy.
• We would shop for foods that nurture them.
• We would take them on long walks, adding movement and circulation to their overall well-being.
• We would give them words of love and friendship.
• We would spend whatever time necessary to nurture them and demonstrate that they are lovable.

In her book Healing Letters, Myrtle Fillmore teaches: Sometimes, the soul gets so anxious about what it wishes to do that it tends to neglect the body. This is not fair to the body or to those who must take care of the body when it is neglected. Our first duty, then, is to bless our body and to get our thoughts right down into it, to praise its wonderful work, to learn what its needs are and to supply them.

What a beautiful reminder that we need to nurture and create a loving relationship with our bodies. Our bodies are gifts we use here on Earth to serve others. When they are in tip-top condition, how much better we can serve our community. What an opportunity! What a blessing! And, as we become more lovable, we will attract love by being adorable and endearing.

We can create a beautiful world as we learn to nurture the body, as our friend and as the lovable animal we are.

Mary Delaney, a cancer thriver, is passionate about helping others with their journey with dis-ease. She does counseling and facilitates a conscious eating group in Gilbert, Ariz. delaneyml@qwest.net or 480-507-0140.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 23, Number 1, February/March 2005