May 2003
Learning to Love your Body
So what if you're not a
"media ideal" body? Get over it!
by Mary Beth Janssen
Our body is the sacred gateway to our consciousness. When we’re able to explore and fully experience our world, body in concert with mind, we come to a place of unity where our inner self is the guiding light for our journey. This is when we arrive at a place of wholeness in mind, body, and spirit.
Yet, the popular media feed us a constant diet of what we should look like, feel like, love like, play like. And yes, it’s a challenge to not fall under this influence. How do we get beyond an illusionary measure of the physical and get on with learning to accept and love our bodies?
We spoke with several energetic beings of light who are fully engaged with and conscious of their bodies in all of its many facets. Mostly, they have transcended the struggles and negativity associated with the volatile issue of body image. As a result, they are healers...for themselves, their families and friends, and their communities. Ultimately, they are an inspiration to those of us mired in the self-defeating exercise of living up to unrealistic societal expectations.
Nomy Lamm: "It’s important that we’re addressing and looking at our bodies, redefining our values"
Her personal bio couldn’t be more forthright: "Nomy is a bad ass, fat ass, Jew, dyke amputee...feminist, dancer, performance artist, and writer."
A leading activist in the fat liberation revolution, Nomy says, "My body is fucking beautiful and every time I look in the mirror and acknowledge that, I am contributing to the revolution. I am an emotionally and physically healthy fat person." She adds, "Many people say,‘it doesn’t matter what you look like,’ or‘I don’t think about appearances, I only care about what’s on the inside,’ acting like it’s a more evolved way of thinking to ignore people’s bodies. I’ve taken issue with that and say that it’s important that we’re addressing and looking at our bodies and redefining our values and our judgments based on the reality rather than based on an ideal.
"Media give us what is marketable at a given time. Each person’s personal work and responsibility is to undo the brainwashing and programming around that stuff. Right now, I’m really happy about my body," she says. Although this was not always the case.
When she was three years old, Nomy’s foot was amputated out of medical necessity. And she went on her first diet when she was five years old. Her parents were always dieting and she says she began dieting as a result of watching them receive validation from others because of it. There have been many issues around food and control.
Nomy stopped dieting 10 years ago realizing how constant dieting "messed up" her metabolism. At the same time, she became involved in the punk scene along with a movement called Riot Grrrl, a network and support system for feminists in the punk scene. "This was the first place where I experienced a definition of feminism that I could relate to."
This became an important part in the development of her body consciousness and acceptance. "Yes, I’m fat, and yes, I have great sex, and I like ice cream, and I’m a really great singer." She could now begin to openly acknowledge who she is. Then came her self-publishing career, with her e-zine, I’m so Fucking Beautiful so named, because "That’s what I want to hear, and it may as well start somewhere."
Sassy magazine featured it as the e-zine of the month. This led to a connection with Ms. magazine resulting in her essay contribution to the book, Listen Up: Voices from the Next Feminist Generation. This was all a definitive part of her programming and body acceptance. "I got a lot of public recognition for something so very personal. At the time, I felt like I had to put up a front that I had dealt with all my shit, but really, I was still just trying to figure it all out."
It’s taken a lot of work for Nomy to undo the programming. "I had more than just fat to deal with, I’m also an amputee...I came to realize how many blocks I had." Today, along with her feminist performance artistry, she practices yoga and goes dancing to "be in my body and do with my body."
Nomy’s goal is to create synergism between her life, community, and world. "My main work is to get real solid in myself and solidify my connections to other people and my commitment to love and peace."
Marilyn D. Fitzgerald: "The ego searches for something wrong. Feed your being positive thoughts"
Marilyn is a dynamic presence in body, intellect, and in the expression of her soul. "My outer is a reflection of my inner," she says. "I know that whatever one’s measurements, color of skin, or nationality, the body is a reflection of inner dialogue and awareness."
"I journal everyday to become aware of thoughts and feelings and how I’m reacting to my experiences. It identifies my fears. I’m looking for a major breakthrough, to fully release the past and step into the present, where I can focus on the beauty and divinity of me.
"I was lonely as a child. I indulged in and had an attachment to food. I was very unhappy. In working on balancing my chakras and the solar plexus in particular...I could begin to work on my attachment to food and indulgence in sweets that were symptomatic of patterns from my past. This is about will, personal power, and self-control and bringing it all together.
"Undoing the energetic blocks is a work in progress. The deeper our blocks, the longer this takes. For me it’s ongoing...time in silence, reading great truths, and speaking affirmations. When negative thoughts arise, I will verbally say, stop, you can’t come in here! I also do some mirror work, because that’s where we define ourselves. From childhood, the mirror creates an impression on our subconscious. Look in the mirror and see the truth, your radiant beauty. Say something nice to yourself. The ego searches for something wrong. Feed your being positive thoughts."
Marilyn conducts seminars that involve the awakening of the soul and how to become more conscious of "Self." This includes self-image. "Whatever you feel about yourself is a reflection of how you are in the outer world."
She’s also discovered the vital connection between exercise, diet, and keeping fit. "It makes me feel good and then I’m a better person and treat others better as well. It’s how I manage stress. Sports is my doctor!" Marilyn is in training for a Chicago triathlon in August.
Althea Northage-Orr and John Northage: "When we fully inhabit the skin that we’re in, we know precisely what we’re doing...we’re awake and aware"
Althea’s diminutive size and sylph-like presence is in stark contrast to John’s powerful yet buoyant mass. Althea and John are a striking and unique pairing, in marriage as well as their professional endeavors. They are founders of The Chicago College of Healing Arts and their practice, The Chicago Center for Psychophysical Healing.
As body workers and teachers of psychophysical re-education (a form of movement bodywork based on the teachings of Robert Masters) they believe that body consciousness is critical for all of us. Althea says, "It permeates every area of our life. It’s where we feel and sense what’s going on in our body as we’re physically engaged. If you do things that feel good, then you’ll consciously avoid things that feel bad."
She contends that most of what we call aging in this culture is the long-term results of the abuse of the physical body. "A physical body that is loved and nourished can be vital, aware, and flexible well into our 90s. When we fully inhabit the skin that we’re in, we know precisely what we’re doing...we’re awake and aware. This is real beauty."
John has spent the past 20 years in an exploration of his body and in learning how to sense it. "My body used to be disconnected, tight, and‘physically armored’ with locked joints and connective tissue so hard that you couldn’t press into it. This was my strategy for getting through emotional trauma." In his awakening, he went from "being oblivious to my body’s sacredness to feeling and understanding my body as a fully interconnected organism."
They both believe that "When our consciousness is withdrawn from any part of the body, we are setting ourselves up for disease.... There are such deep connections between the body and mind. Our bodies can create our emotions and our emotions can create events in our body, it’s a continuum. If we can’t release, this is when we seize up.
"Through yoga, psychophysical re-education, body work, ecstatic dance people can learn to‘re-embody’ themselves, to release and connect with their inner selves." Althea adds, "You come to realize that the body is the clothing that the spirit puts on in order to interact with the physical world...and have the most meaningful in-body experiences."
These philosophies infuse all of Althea and John’s teachings, whether it be meditation, herbs, or massage, and is also an important part of their work with patients in a clinical setting.
Inspiration for the Journey
Getting in touch with the sacred dimensions of oneself is an on-going journey. But as you travel along your path toward body consciousness, may the wisdom shared by these four insightful beings enhance the lessons yet to be learned.
Mary Beth Janssen is a Chicago writer, mind/body health educator, and author of Radiant Beauty: Your Healthy and Organic Guide to Total Body Well-Being.
Contacts:
Marilyn D. Fitzgerald, 708-720-4318; mdfspeaks@mindspring.com
Althea and John, Chicago College of Healing Arts,
773-596-5012
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