Movement is about Protection (#5 of “x”)

Historically, movement kept us alive. It allowed us to fight or flee from danger. Movement was about protecting ourselves from danger.

Sadly, for many of us...moving or not moving is a way of protecting ourselves from the ridicule of others. Moving is a way to change our body size or shape so that we are not criticized by others or ourselves. Not moving may also be a way of protecting ourselves from embarrassment...a way to avoid public exposure and humiliation. In a world where we engage with such harsh criticisms, it makes sense that we would want to self-protect... even if it meant going to extremes.

The danger is that in the process, our body can become the enemy. We hate it because we think of it as the things that gets us hurt. Connecting to our body is hard when we hate it that much. It’s hard to love something that causes us so much pain.

It may be helpful to define the enemy. Is it really our body?.. or our mind?.. or is it those outside of us who expect us to look or act or perform in certain ways? Those who try to cram us into a boxes that were not made to contain the amazing people we are?

Sometimes, protection is important. Each of us gets to decide for ourselves if the way we are protecting ourselves is beneficial or detrimental to our bodies and who we want to be. There are many external circumstances and people that we can not control, but we get to decide how we will use the resources within our body and mind to protect us. Movement is a way of finding the power within us to protect ourselves.

Movement can still be a form of self-protection... a beautiful form of loving self-care.. that says my body deserves to be loved and treated with respect. Sometimes moving is an act of defiance, showing power to take back spaces or activities where others have told you that you do not belong. Sometimes, not moving is an act of defiance, a way of holding your ground and saying you are enough.. that you do not need to change to be acceptable. Sometimes movement helps protect our bodies and minds by finding balance. Sometimes, not moving is protecting yourself from injury and physical illness by actively providing yourself rest. Day-by-day, the choice to move or not to move is an acknowledgment that we have the power to defend and care for our body.

What are ways that you feel the need to be protected? How can your amazing body provide that power of protection?