Learn To Take Care Of Yourself

When my training as a yoga teacher began, I learned that one of the fundamental guiding principles of this discipline is “ahimsa”. This word means “non-violence”.

We frequently think about not being too aggressive with others, but we are not always aware of the violence we can exert against ourselves and against our own bodies.

Paradoxically, I did this learning by applying certain precepts of Indian medicine. I have learned that there are things that, even under the guise of alternative medicine, are violent to my body.

For a week, I went through a so-called detox treatment, which only resulted in my body being totally blocked in all of its systems.

Even today, I am paying the consequences. I now try to follow fair principles, which make me treat my body with a lot of love, tenderness and gentleness, and respecting my sensitivity.

I learned that we are the first, long before the others, to have to respect our own sensitivity. 

It is not just a subjective perception. I teach this precept to a number of my clients, as a coach, because we need to know deeply how our nervous system and brain work, but also our biological mechanism.

We are not just a mind, but also a body, the well-being of which depends on the quality of our life experience.

Our body’s natural healing and regenerative powers are activated when it is in relaxed mode, not when it is in full response to an episode of stress.

When something activates our stress response, all healing and regeneration mechanisms are blocked, or at least diminished. Our immune system and our ability to assimilate nutrients as well.

If what allows us to heal is the relaxation of our body, we must not attack it or stimulate too intensely its different functioning systems.

What can help us in this quest is to make changes smoothly, with care and attention. The “less is more” philosophy can be a great relief.

More and more, I place my confidence in techniques like “biodanse” or coaching (at least, the way I like it), which are in search of positive, nutritious and relaxing experiences.

These are techniques and methodologies which reject shock treatments, and which advocate changes through love, affection, care, the establishment of a space of safety and freedom, as well as listening to oneself.

In a natural and organic way, our body-mind mechanism can reorganize itself in a healthier way, with the aim of achieving genuine well-being and great inner peace.

All this upheaval must, once again, be carried out without abrupt gestures, and without negative impact on the body or the mind.

I have met various people who had experienced shock therapies and drastic treatments, which left them totally unstructured, in a much worse state than the one they were in before starting a care process.

One of the biggest lessons I have learned during this time has been that no matter how much trust you can legitimately place in certain people, especially when they have an excellent reputation, you should always trust to its own criteria, to its intuition, and to the messages that our body sends us.

As I often say to my clients: “you are the only authority in your life”. 

To learn how to listen to yourself better, I invite you to ask yourself certain questions which are the same as those which occurred to me when I began to live this regrettable experience.

I’m sure they’ll be as useful to you as they are to me. Take a few minutes out of your schedule, and find a quiet place to be able to answer these questions in a deep way.

Do you trust your inner voice or the voices of others more? 

How often am I used to entrusting my well-being to others, instead of listening to the voice of my own body?

How particularly violent am I with myself? 

What bad attitude do I use to hurt myself?

Now that you have certainly realized some negative aspects in your life, try taking action to feel better. Becoming aware of things without taking action is useless.

I therefore suggest that you consciously change, in the coming days, some of your attitudes and behaviors, which you know are harmful for your body.

It can be a gradual breakup with people who are a bad influence on you.

You can decide to stop hanging out with such and such a place, or that person, or you can try treatment, or even therapy, that you know is non-aggressive.

Opt for a stroll in the sun in a park, rather than to lock yourself in a gym where, in addition to doing violence to yourself physically, you will be stunned by the noise that reigns there. Try to be at peace, in the here and now.  

Let go of something that hurts you, convincing yourself that it will do you good in the future.

Give yourself permission to take care of yourself, with love and tenderness. You are your dearest possession!