knowing your body

I recently had acupuncture. It had been several years since my last treatment, and my neck and arm muscles were feeling particularly taut. She placed needles in my lower leg to alleviate my head and neck tension. The muscles instantly released upon the prick of the needle. My mind drifted, my body rested. This treatment reinforced my thinking around the systemic connection of the body; that one point can hold deeper sense of inner workings.

I must admit, I haven't been taking very good care of myself lately -a lot of working, and planning, and performing, and...not enough revitalization. I am determined to prioritized self-care. I've had massage. I took an Epsom salt soak. I stretched every morning and evening. It takes a lot of work, and after a week of working on myself, I don't feel better -(!!!)- I feel pretty mediocre. There is no miracle, and it takes time and energy. Our bodies are ever-changing, adaptable, and impermanent. When we heal, we don't heal to our former self -our "pre-injury" status- but rather a new status, one that remembers the pain and weakness, yet strives for physical knowledge beyond our past afflictions.

full moon of feelings

Cancer Sun //Capricorn Full Moon exact at 7:20pm PDT July 1st, 2015

Stephanie Gailing of Planetary Apothecary says:

"What’s...highlighted during this Full Moon is the importance of maintaining a balanced sense of perspective. Cancer inspires us to both feel as well as value our feelings. It has flowing, soft, and undulating energy. Capricorn, on the other hand, is not focused on feelings but rather on diligent and responsible approaches to accomplishing tangible outcomes. The question becomes how the nurturer (Cancer) and the achiever (Capricorn) can co-exist."

Read her full article here: http://planetaryapothecary.com/2015/06/capricorn-full-moon-2/

What interests me in Stephanie's words is this balance between self-care, and what we need to get done. These things are more often than not contractions. It is hard to make the time with our ever-swiftyly-moving lives for us; for a breathe, for meditation or mindfulness practice, for self-reflection, or self-care.

I've recently shifted my work-load, I don't know how I was doing it, working three jobs, attempting to create within my Art, renovate a home, all while living with my partner in my childhood home, but I did it. The easiest thing to drop off my list? Self-care. My work-out, my yoga, my meditation, my own massage.

How can we balance how we nurture our bodies and minds? How do we attend to our feelings? All the while walking forward on our distracting paths ahead?