By Genesis Barazza

Calling in from Albuquerque, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Petaluma, Marin, Bolina, Kenya, Nebraska, and beyond, our cozy group came together to converse on the topic of: Restorative Healing. 

How are you today, my body?

How are you today, my heart? 

How are you today my mind?

How are you today my dear?

I am here for you”

-Anthony DeMauro

Anthony, Associate Director of Dalli Llama Fellows, starts today’s reunion by guiding us to hold space for ourselves and offer ourselves the healing presence our time and attention can provide. 

What are some of the promises we make to have a healing relationship with our individual and collective bodies? -Mazin Jamal

Even after our ground exercise with Anthony, Mazin’s question is met with a brief reflective silence. These are the eleven promises we heard:

  • “I promised to acknowledge that’s there’s bodies within ourselves and within society.” – Julian
  • “After six weeks of radiation, I promised my body to recover.” -Dave. 
  • “I promised myself to take intentional walks in the mornings… so that I can send out prayers and love as I walk.” – Heidi 
  • “I promised to grow roots to be able to ground myself no matter where I am.” – Genesis
  • “I promised to take an hour outside for my lunch … just to eat and  connect with my meal and observe what’s going on around me.” – Mansi
  • “As a psychotherapist, father & human being, I promised to stay connected with my emotional body.” – Doug 
  • “I promise to not hold in any feelings.” – Tamara 
  • “It’s been a lot of exploration.” – Claudia 
  • “I don’t have an answer.” – Betty 
  • “I promised I’d find the time to check in with myself.” – Gina
  •  “I promised my body that I would take breaks during the day.” – Mazin 

We can’t always keep our promises to ourselves, it’s not possible. 

Mazin, Executive Director of Holistic Underground, spoke from experience. Despite promising his body to take breaks during the day seven months ago. Up until three days before this reunion, he could only talk an hour a day. Immediately after sharing this story out loud, he honored his initial promise as he took a long sip of water.

As I’ve deepened my relationship with my body and been more explicit about the promises and listened to it more,  my body has become more vocal, it has become more of a team mate to me and for lack of a better word less of a slave to my brain. – Mazin

How can we avoid these painful wakeups?

Our bodies are always communicating with us, sending us signals. Many of us currently treat our bodies as machines, taking them to the mechanic once the alert lights blaze. Mazin suggests we listen to those signals and tend to our body like we would a garden, adjusting the nutrients, water levels, maybe do some weeding.

Honor your promise to restore our bodies periodically if infinitely more effective than punishing yourself for not meeting your promise. 
Let us find something small that we can promise to our bodies.

Need more inspiration? Read about Exploring Self Care Reform.

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