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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Not trying to be perfect... (couldn't be anyway...)




Hi readers! I was interviewed by BlissChick about body image stuff... I answered questions like 'how do I feel about my body', 'do I weigh myself', 'how do I feel about shopping for clothes' and more...

I did my best to answer honestly because truthful sharing is helpful. I am learning through the process, and readers of the interview will find that either they relate with what I shared, or perhaps they will see a story different from theirs. Either way is good.

One thing I have learned in reading over the published interview is that my comparative sense of my own body (an example is big boobs versus my smaller ones) is not really seeing myself, it is more a technique of self-denial than anything else. To really see myself is a combination of feeling, sensing and observing myself and my thought processes in time and space, and as resin naturally is produced by certain trees, I too may find that my life process produces certain understandings about my life as lived in this world, during this time.

And I feel a strong connection with other women who are going through this experience of living during this time, too. It's a sort of cultural song on suffering, especially when it comes to the relationships with our bodies! We need to share together about these things. Thank you, BlissChick, for the opportunity to share.

With loving and caring regards,
Brooks


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank YOU, Brooks, for being so willing to be open and honest about what can be difficult stuff.

Eco Yogini said...

i really liked your interview Brooks. I agree, it's a difficult topic- so many of us feel similar things, but never dare to give voice.

Thank you :)

Unknown said...

Thank you, Brooks and Christine! I have noticed how difficult it is for me to fast after many years being conflicted about food, not really seeing my body for what it is and what it looks like, and working through eating disorders. I start to fast and my body and mind seem to panic. They seem to say, "here we go again! don't do this to me!" Which makes fasting very difficult. I prefer not to fast, but then see it as a great exploration of this dialogue with food and trusting myself to get the nourishment I need. Trusting that I will take care of myself properly.

I remember very clearly being in college and starving myself -- thinking I was fat -- I remember the internal image I had of my body, especially my fat thighs. I see pictures of myself from then and can't believe the stick body I had. It's a cautionary moment that reminds me that my mind often deceives and creates images and scenarios that are not true and definitely not loving and helpful.

Nic said...

Thank you for your honesty and your willingness to share it with others. A few years ago I lost a significant amount of weight (through healthy eating and exercise) and found myself obsessed with the scale and never happy with the numbers I saw despite my success. I realized I would never be happy with the numbers...my body type simply would never allow my to reach a weight that is "normal" for my height. So instead I stopped weighing and started focusing on the good things about my body...my strength, my flexibility, my overall health.

We are all beautiful and it is a shame that it often requires so much effort to realize it...but being able to relate to other women and our constant struggles for happiness with our bodies is very helpful. Thanks again!

Brooks Hall said...

Thanks, Everybody!

I was at the Art Institute of Chicago today, and was thinking about this body-image topic. The paintings of women of privilege and goddesses pre-photography are all generous in body. Are they not beautiful? Their bellies are full of food! The young women are svelte, but nobody is super-thin like we expect our bodies to be today. And I realize that these were also created as idealized images of women for their time, and painted by men... Nonetheless, I think I was feeling the edges of a new realm of greater self-acceptance for my body and for the bodies of other women, too. We are all so unique and beautiful!