There are days like this...

When the body says 'no'

This week, I had planned to write a newsletter about the link between fascial release, stretching and inflammation. I wanted to include the latest research about this topic as well as a short video describing a routine I encourage my students to practice regularly. But I travelled back from a workshop in Israel yesterday. I’m tired. My body feels heavy. My joints ache…

Accepting

If you haven’t read Gabor Maté’s book When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress, I highly recommend it.

In chapter 19, Gabor Maté identified the Seven A’s of Healing

1. ACCEPTANCE

2. AWARENESS

3. ANGER

4. AUTONOMY

5. ATTACHMENT

6. ASSERTION

7. AFFIRMATION

It took me many years to fully understand and integrate these into my life but I now automatically come back to them when I feel on the edge of a relapse.

The first A looks deceptively simple. After all, accepting that right now you need to rest is a no-brainer, right?

Wrong. Acceptance is tricky. It means refusing to deny how things are right now and challenges our deeply held belief that we are not worthy enough. But luckily for me, I am ok with having to postpone or cancel plans when I need to… well most of the time anyway ;-)

Reading the cues

Hans Selye - who was the first to identify stress as underpinning symptoms of certain illnesses - identified a series of danger signals to look out for from a pounding heart, fatigue and sweating to headaches, backaches, anxiety, impulsivity or irritability… The list is long. But more importantly than recognising the symptoms themselves,

‘we can learn to read these symptoms not only as problems to be overcome but as messages to be heeded’ Gabor Maté

After over 20 years living with MS I clearly understand the message my body is sending.

So there is no video this week but I hope this newsletter will be helpful if you sometimes struggle with the first two As of the list as well. If you’d like to find out more about the other As, I suggest you check Gabor Maté’s book. It’s definitely worth reading.

Have a wonderful day.

Much love

Véronique