The IAW International Community welcomes Tempest Charles, Sophomore at Agnes Scott College, as its July 7 blogger! Tempest will visit the blog during the week to respond to your posts. Post your questions, encouragement, and stories here to initiate a conversation with Tempest and with our community around the world. Out theme this month is “Loving Our Bodies, No Matter What!”
The Forgiving Body
I invite any woman who is having difficulty loving their body to find the nearest park, marina, beach or garden and sit. Sit right in the middle of nature and breathe deeply, look at the flowers, watch the bees and the ants move with purpose, imagine what may be happening in the dirt underneath your feet. Once you have taken in all of your surroundings, I want you to contemplate the connectedness of all things. Recognize that the same Universe from which the beauty of nature erupted, came wonderful You!
It was this realization that inspired my search for The Delicious Life. After years of being overweight and displeased with my body, I began to realize that this body of mine has only responded to the things I have put it through with forgiveness. I have fried, dyed, cut, locked, braided, straightened, and curled my hair numerous times and still, I have not lost any hair. I have been vegetarian, vegan, omnivorous, foodless and binged and my body has continued to function keeping all of my vitals in line. I have over-washed, not removed make up from, scrubbed, plucked at and pierced, my face and still, it has forgiven me.
For me, loving my body meant respecting it enough to work out two hours a day taking classes I love or jogging for the sake of my heart. It meant discovering the deliciousness of foods that came straight from the ground, drinking enough water to rid my system of toxins and polishing the mirror that is my spirituality by chanting daily and helping others. Through this journey I have discovered my love for being healthy, my confidence in myself, and the compassion to love, understand and cater to the needs of my beautiful body no matter what.
Tempest Charles Bio: Tempest will return to Agnes Scott College in the fall as a sophomore. After college she plans to travel the world to gather women’s stories and views of beauty, sexuality, and holistic health. Tempest’s Buddhist practice encourages her to learn from and teach others. Her calling is evolving but will include helping women and their families reach self-actualization and pass the gift of good holistic health to the generations that follow them. Tempest’s current blog, “The Delicious Life,” follows her personal journey to discover a healthier, more fulfilling life. Visit Tempest’s blog at http://modernmariposa.wordpress.com.
Thank you, Tempie, for your inspiring body-loving words. I too have discovered “the deliciousness of foods that come straight from the ground!” The fruits I will eat today are: grapefruit, kiwi, nectarine, banana, and pear. My body loves it when I eat small, mono-fruit meals. You inspire me to REMAIN faithful to my body, one body-loving choice at a time.
Lovely. Thank you.
Sweet little Tempie! Wow, such a delicious young woman blossomed from the happy, ever giggling, mischief loving youngster I remember from the Women’s Potluck days. Your maturity, spirit, education and communication skills shine. Today I have savored organic peach yogurt, and ready to be enjoyed are peaches and nectarines from the Bay Area’s organic Frog Hollow Farms. I cherish and look forward to Frog Hollow fruit each year. They grow the sweetest, juiciest. Several full bowls of fruit are around the house at all times to promote healthy snacking – visible, ready to grab, and letting expensive fruit spoil for junk isn’t an option.
Auna (Poppy’s mom – she played with you, as a caregiver, during the women’s potluck circles)
Thank you to Tempie and to Patricia for bringing these words of encouragement.
I reflect on the blueberry picking I did today and the bags of frozen berries now in my freezer for the winter months. The beans,lettuce and tomotoes I picked from my garden are so fresh and delicious.
Thank you for sharing how the poem helped you. It continues to assist all of us who read it.
Hi Tempie, what a beautiful, beautiful post!! I have struggled with loving my body for so very long, vacillating between looking at myself through the eyes of love & acceptance, then not, then starting all over again. Your words are truly inspirational; I wish I had had your wisdom at your age! But then again, better late than never, right? Thanks again, & enjoy your journey.
Tempie, Thank you for reminding me how forgiving my body is and that it is only responding to what I do to it. Your words are inspiring me to continue respecting my body, eat more raw foods, drink more water and polish this mirror, No matter what:)
You’re so welcome Patricia!
There is little more important than feeding your body with things that were created just for it! Treat yourself (and friends) to a morning at the market one day. It seems that peaches that are sold outside are even more delicious than the ones in health food stores!
Oh Tempest! What a beautiful way to view the body – as forgiving! I laughed in recognition when I read about you manipulating your hair … my hair has thrived despite attempts to curl it around a hot iron, perm it, highlight it, soak it with chlorinated pool water, blow hot air on it – not to mention the hairspray! And oh, all the things I have eaten over the years! But your words strike a deep chord, one that is echoed in the universe. Our bodies are forgiving and ever renewing, as is the planet we walk on. Your words are also perfectly timed as I have recently chosen a new way of eating (whole foods, no animal proteins etc). With each delicious peach, blueberry and raspberry I will remind myself of your inspiring words (and my new motto), that I have “the compassion to love, understand and cater to the needs of my beautiful body no matter what.” Thank you.
I LOVE THIS! I’m so proud of you best friend!!!
To all of you who have commented so far thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Many don’t understand how difficult it is to share such a personal journey with the World Wide Web and the encouragement and enthusiasm is really wonderful!
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Elaine,
You’re welcome, thank you for reading and sharing!
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Auna,
Hello! I will never forget those Women’s Potlucks! They are what taught me that it’s absolutely okay to take time out for yourself to do what you love the most, and to find peace in a small, loving community! I’m so glad to hear you have found a love for all of the wonderful things that spring up every season. Lately peaches have been my guilty pleasure and I could probably eat them by the basketful. I hope all is well and that summer is treating you kindly, don’t forget to stop and take time to whisper “Thank You” when the summer sun kisses your face, I’m convinced she hears you.
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Karen Zwart,
You are very welcome! Do you know at one time I thought I hated blueberries? I tried them again “for the first time” a few weeks ago and feel head over heels. It’s funny how when we taste something wonderful and delicious we feel as though we’ve discovered something new. What makes it powerful is that nothing is new, that blueberry could have been any number of things first, so by taking a bite you’re enjoying all that the world has to offer!
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Patsi Maroney,
As funny as it sounds sometimes I wish I had my wisdom too. I think too often people mistake my knowledge of the human condition as a sense of understanding. Really, like any other nineteen year old, I am looking for answers. The only difference is that as I find them, I make it my duty to share with others. Continue pushing to love who you are. Just like on somedays a child or significant other may test your love for them by causing you more irritation than warranted, are bodies will do the same. At the end of the night remind yourself that regardless of what may have happened that day, you love, respect, and cherish the body for all that it does and all that it can do.
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Nichol,
I’m glad I could help! Whether beef or blueberries, it’s important that we remember that we are fortunate to have choices, quality, and nutrients at our disposal. Polishing that mirror is something we all need to do. I have to remind myself daily that I need to continue to read to educate myself and the people around me. Just like when cleaning a house, you may start by polishing the mirror, but eventually you realize the entire house could use tidying.
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Teri,
Oh, hair! I am already in the midst of deciding what to do to it next- and shamelessly! Just like I respect my body enough to give my hair a rest, I respect myself enough to know that my personality is often expressed through the hair on my head and therefore I will allow that to be so. Though a perm is not natural if that is what truly makes you happy, do it! I think we all, especially as women, need to be careful about making the assumption that those who don’t let their hair grow wild are any less “in touch” than the rest of us. As for compassion, it’s a difficult thing to have, even more difficult when it’s regarding yourself. The wonderful (and difficult) thing about this journey is that it never ends so find yourself a team and a band of positive energies!
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Olivia!
So good to see you on here! I appreciate you publicly for all of your help and encouragement and I’m so happy to have you as a best friend!
Peace, Love and Ingenuity!
Tempie
Tempie, Before we move on to tomorrows blog I wanted to say thank you and thank you again. Your sharing has been passed on this week to every woman who walked into the door with body image issues. They walk out smiling and renewed.
You’re very welcome. I would be selfish to have discovered something to make me feel renewed and keep it in my pocket without sharing. It’s good to know we can all support each other if we really need to.