Being Body Positive

Last weekend I had the very great fortunate to train to become a Facilitator in body positivity training.  This is something I have wanted to do for about a year and it came with the added benefit of getting to spend a little time in Berkeley, California.  It was the typical type of trip where you are in and out quickly but at lunchtime, I did get to walk around and take a few snaps of some of the cute bungalows in the neighborhood and the sweet details the residents add to the landscape.

For the past six months, I have been specifically gearing up for this training and it did not disappoint.  The event was held at the Rudramandir, a center for spirituality and healing, and was perfect in every way for the group’s needs.

On Friday, we dove headlong into the course materials and there was a lot of it to get through.

The other participants were a mixture of folks in helping/healing professions (including several other yoga teachers) and a mix of straight/gay/trans/gender fluid orientations.  From my perspective, being Body Positive stems from overcoming many years of dieting and body distrust, but it applies to anyone who has issues with accepting their body as it is.

In going back over my own “story” in this regard, I can remember that up until I was 7, I felt pretty good about myself and that by 8 years old, I was already tuning into thinking something was “wrong” with my body!  And, since that time, I’ve been engaged in battling with my body.  To stop engagement in the battle would have been “giving up”.  Now, I’m 54.  so I’ve been hanging onto this for a long time.  One very important teaching I’ve taken in is that I’m not giving up, I’m moving on.

I’ve moved on to reclaiming my health, cultivating self-love, declaring my authentic beauty and practicing intuitive self care.  Just like yoga, these are practices that I’m honing over time.

I’m in the process of developing some local workshops and classes to provide others with the tools and teachings that I’ve acquired.  Stay tuned for further details!

Namaste, Arlene