PatSamples

In Praise of the Colon, In Praise of Emptiness

Author, Body Odyssey: Lessons from the Bones and Belly www.bodyodyssey.biz www.agingandcaregiving.com What a splendid view I got of the inside of my colon this week! On a screen, of course. Lying on my side atop a guerney, I got a glimpse of its soft-sculpted walls as the GI doctor finished performing a routine colonoscopy. As his scope rapidly retreated through my colon, the thick pink sides appeared to be doing the moving, rolling by in wave-like motion as fluidly as seaweeds under water. I was truly surprised by how beautiful they looked. Stay with me on this: I'm not kidding. More…

Stop the Insanity!

Author, Body Odyssey: Lessons from the Bones and Belly www.bodyodyssey.biz  In response to a recent blog entry of mine, Yvonne said that her body is making an emphatic plea for attention, but she bemoaned, “Would that I could take time to listen to my body.” Ohhhh, isn't "time" always the obstacle! More…

Wish You Were Here

Author, Body Odyssey: Lessons from the Bones and Belly and Daily Comforts for Caregivers www.bodyodyssey.biz  I wish you could be here with me in Chicago right now.  You would be immersed in activities that would capture your stories in writing, dancing, and theatre. You would be learning how to bring these activities into settings where older adults live or congregate.  You would understand the importance of the stories of our elders and how they can be drawn out and honored in a way that helps them find meaning and resolution -- and have fun! More…

Your Body Has Power: Don't Lose It!

Author, Body Odyssey: Lessons from the Bones and Belly and Daily Comforts for Caregivers www.bodyodyssey.biz I was reading Lynn Andrews’ book for writers, called Writing Spirit, and was excited by her comments on body wisdom: “You store power in your body… If you ignore the signals your body sends to you, you will begin to dissipate your power and begin to destroy your body through stress, because you are not paying attention to who you really are.” More…

Three Cheers for the Runners

Author, Body Odyssey: Lessons from the Bones and Belly www.BodyOdyssey.biz  At a graduation party this week, I overheard two people discuss the joys of being in marathons and I joined their conversation. They spoke of the thrill of going 5K and then next time trying for 10K and then a 26-mile run. They loved the experience of running with all their might, it was clear, but they also said that every time they began to tire along a marathon, they questioned why they were doing this to themselves. The endorphin rush during the many practice runs and during the event itself was only part of the pleasure. It was the roar of the crowd they spoke of with most passion, the "C'mon you can do it" and "You're doing great. Keep it up." Thousands of people cheer them on as they run, and even when they feel like quitting, they keep on going because they can’t let the crowd down, especially their friends and family who have spent hours along the route supporting them. No matter their pain and exhaustion, they smile as they hear the encouragement. They keep running. More…

Learn Body Lessons on Public Radio Show

Author, Body Odyssey: Lessons from the Bones and Bellywww.bodyodyssey.biz  More…

Muscles Feeling Tight? Shake Them Loose

Author, Body Odyssey: Lessons from the Bones and Belly and Daily Comforts for Caregivers www.bodyodyssey.biz The other day I watched a troop of children from a Ugandan orphanage dance beautifully with unrestrained exuberance, using every muscle in their bodies. What I noticed in particular was how their hips and bellies were in constant movement, gyrating and shaking in ways I doubt my body has ever moved. Their dance spoke to me of aliveness, freedom, sensual delight. As I watched, I wondered what it would feel like to dance in a way that would shake everything loose like that. Surely, one could not be depressed after such a dance. More…

Does Sadness Seep into Your Day?

Author Body Odyssey: Lessons from the Bones and Belly and Daily Comforts for Caregivers www.bodyodyssey.biz Grief can often take you by surprise. A familiar scent, sound, or sight reminds you of the person who is gone, and you feel the loss again right there in your heart. Your reaction may be sorrow or sweet remembrance, or both.   More…

In Praise of Joints

Author of Body Odyssey: Lessons from the Bones and Belly and of Daily Comfort for Caregivers, www.bodyodyssey.biz More…

Is Something Bothering You?

Eckhart Tolle, in The Power of Now, says that emotional pain comes from resistance. We're in resistance to someone or something - present, past, or future. Makes sense to me. Byron Katie says the same thing in Loving What Is. (These are two of my favorite and most frequently referenced books, by the way.) If we don't like something or someone, we carry on an internal argument with it and the result is tension, achiness, tiredness, and such. We've created a tug of war and our bodies signal that the battle is on. More…