You are revolutionizing the way I see my body, Swaati. I could come up with a 1000 ways to compare mine with yours and keep sulking and yet, you make me work otherwise. You make me watch my body with love and tenderness. And power. Thank you!
'The one who shouldn't fit - because there's only one of her.' - so empowering, Swaati! Such richness of inner monologue that you share with lightness and humour. I was thinking of how harshly we speak to our bodies when there is so much innate wisdom to honour there instead. So much to chew on. Thank you for writing this.
That was a satisfying read. My wife have up jeans a couple of years ago saying, "They don't make me feel good anymore. " I took up jeans for the exact opposite reason. In the end it's it's that we have to please not others, not Levis. My daughter puts it best - My life, My body, My way.
Thank you so much Swaati! As a dancing body-intellectual and elder yes, you are spot on. “ I learnt the most valuable lesson: the body has a mind of its own. It speaks sophisticated wisdom gathered over millennia, in a language and tenor of its own — even my mere intellect knows now that this is a universe beyond its limited understanding. You do not learn to dance with your intellect; the body just knows, all you have to do is forget yourself. It was a similar surrender I gave into, when I delivered a child with guttural screams; none of the What to Expect manuals had been useful as I had lain in the labour room, heaving as my body imploded with insane pain, a part of me wondering, ‘Is this what dying feels like?’ Yes!!
I wrote this essay thinking 'I might be the only person who feels this way, but let's write it down anyway'. Your emphatic yes is so comforting for me, the validation from your comment so precious - thankyou Cynthia!
Your honesty is amazing Swaati. And your words should be an eye-opener to anyone who feels that they have to pander to benchmarks about their appearance which are unrealistic, not to mention unhealthy 🙏
Swaati, so many gems in this one. I especially loved the way you signed off with "they will have to fit me rather than have me fitting into them." Hell, yeah! As always, I loved the way you encourage all of us to focus... really focus on each and every body part and love them for what they are - wrinkles, fleshy, overweight, dry, flawed and incredibly perfect. Loved this piece. I am so looking forward to the next one.
Thankyou for your precious insight on my essays, Binu. I wasn't going to write a 'next one' in this series, but now I will -- because I know Binu is waiting :)
Yes please! I am looking forward to a series of them - hair, mind, nose, fingers :). Not kidding. I am serious. You have really helped me look at my body with kindness and attention.
Wah! Bhai wah! What a journey you took us on. And I’m chuffed s as you wrote this at the huddle. I feel I was next to you.
:) Thankyou Gargi, I always write fearlessly when my Bawaal friends are watching me - I feel so loved and seen.
You are revolutionizing the way I see my body, Swaati. I could come up with a 1000 ways to compare mine with yours and keep sulking and yet, you make me work otherwise. You make me watch my body with love and tenderness. And power. Thank you!
I love the powerful ways in which you are reclaiming what is beautifully yours, Sanobar! Thankyou for reading with a big heart.
'The one who shouldn't fit - because there's only one of her.' - so empowering, Swaati! Such richness of inner monologue that you share with lightness and humour. I was thinking of how harshly we speak to our bodies when there is so much innate wisdom to honour there instead. So much to chew on. Thank you for writing this.
If you haven't already, read this.
Thankyou for reading with heart, Deepika 💖
That was a satisfying read. My wife have up jeans a couple of years ago saying, "They don't make me feel good anymore. " I took up jeans for the exact opposite reason. In the end it's it's that we have to please not others, not Levis. My daughter puts it best - My life, My body, My way.
Your daughter's wisdom, your wife's intuitive understanding, and your clear-eyed acceptance are all the stuff body-positivity should be made of!
Thank you so much Swaati! As a dancing body-intellectual and elder yes, you are spot on. “ I learnt the most valuable lesson: the body has a mind of its own. It speaks sophisticated wisdom gathered over millennia, in a language and tenor of its own — even my mere intellect knows now that this is a universe beyond its limited understanding. You do not learn to dance with your intellect; the body just knows, all you have to do is forget yourself. It was a similar surrender I gave into, when I delivered a child with guttural screams; none of the What to Expect manuals had been useful as I had lain in the labour room, heaving as my body imploded with insane pain, a part of me wondering, ‘Is this what dying feels like?’ Yes!!
I wrote this essay thinking 'I might be the only person who feels this way, but let's write it down anyway'. Your emphatic yes is so comforting for me, the validation from your comment so precious - thankyou Cynthia!
Your honesty is amazing Swaati. And your words should be an eye-opener to anyone who feels that they have to pander to benchmarks about their appearance which are unrealistic, not to mention unhealthy 🙏
thankyou Manju, for enjoying my honesty!
😁
Swaati, so many gems in this one. I especially loved the way you signed off with "they will have to fit me rather than have me fitting into them." Hell, yeah! As always, I loved the way you encourage all of us to focus... really focus on each and every body part and love them for what they are - wrinkles, fleshy, overweight, dry, flawed and incredibly perfect. Loved this piece. I am so looking forward to the next one.
Thankyou for your precious insight on my essays, Binu. I wasn't going to write a 'next one' in this series, but now I will -- because I know Binu is waiting :)
Yes please! I am looking forward to a series of them - hair, mind, nose, fingers :). Not kidding. I am serious. You have really helped me look at my body with kindness and attention.