Be a Little Kinder to Your Body

Today, a woman came to see me for the first time.

Her greatest difficulty was walking.

She had developmental dysplasia of the hip, and the pain had worsened over the years.

She can now barely walk.

Going down stairs is particularly difficult.

Her doctor has recommended surgery.

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She used to be a serious mountain climber.

She walked long distances.

She climbed steep slopes.

She carried heavy packs.

For many years, she placed considerable demands on her body.

Of course, mountaineering alone cannot explain her current condition.

There was the underlying problem with her hip, as well as changes that had occurred with age.

On top of that, the accumulated strain of many years may also have played a part.

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She was also experiencing several other concerning symptoms.

She had felt a persistent heaviness in her head for several years, and another operation was scheduled for next month.

The causes of these problems must be assessed and treated by medical professionals.

What I can do is work with the body in front of me and observe where tension and imbalance may be present.

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As I worked with her, something occurred to me.

Perhaps she had been a little too hard on her own body.

Walking had become difficult.

She could no longer go down stairs easily.

She could not move as freely as she once had.

She seemed frustrated by a body that would no longer respond as she wanted it to.

But her body was not being lazy.

It had worked quietly for her over many years.

It seemed to me that it was now asking for some rest.

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I said to her,

“You need to be a little kinder to your body.”

I did not mean that she should avoid all effort.

Nor did I mean that she should do nothing.

Do not force yourself to move through pain.

Rest properly when you are tired.

Accept help when you need it.

Do not blame yourself for being unable to do what you once could.

Continue receiving the medical care you need while giving your body enough time.

That, too, is part of taking care of yourself.

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Take care of your body.

The words sound simple.

In practice, however, it can be difficult.

While their bodies are still functioning, many people hardly notice how much they depend on them.

They continue working when they are tired.

They keep moving through pain.

They tell themselves they can manage a little longer and postpone listening to the body’s quieter warnings.

Only when they can no longer move do they finally pay attention.

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I used to do the same thing.

When I was younger, I thought fatigue did not matter.

Even when something hurt, I assumed it would eventually resolve if I kept moving.

I can no longer treat my body that way.

I want to continue working with my clients.

I want to continue dancing tango, which I have practiced for fifteen years.

And I want to live in as good a mood as possible.

For those reasons, I now make a point of caring for my body regularly.

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One of the best things about moving to Chiba is that there is a day-use hot spring fed directly from the source only ten minutes away by car.

Some weeks, I go three or four times.

I bring nothing and think about nothing as I soak in the water.

I slowly stretch my stiff legs.

I notice where my muscles feel tight.

Where am I tired today?

Which parts of me need to rest?

In the water, it sometimes feels easier to hear what my body is saying.

For me, the hot spring is more than a form of recreation.

It is also time to reconnect with my body.

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The life a person has lived can sometimes be seen in their body.

However, we cannot blame every illness or injury on the way someone has lived.

Some illnesses cannot be prevented.

Some physical conditions are present from birth.

No matter how careful we are, certain things will still happen.

There is no need to blame yourself for becoming unwell.

What matters is considering how you will live with and care for your body from this point forward.

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The body of the woman I met today has also worked hard for many years.

It climbed mountains.

It supported her through daily life.

It kept moving, even through pain.

Perhaps now is the time to give some rest back to that body.