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Love your own tummy!
I’ve finally found a solution to the "pull your stomach in" routine. I’ve always hated to pull in my stomach, thinking that it removed every instance of relaxation. I mean, it wasn’t possible to just "be;" I had to keep pumping in that tummy! It was always a conscious effort; something I had to think about. I’d try it for about twenty minutes and then whammo – the idea just fell apart.

Well, I’ve finally figured this out, and "pulling in the tummy" isn’t such an awful thing anymore. It’s part of my daily life.

Here’s a little background. I put on some weight, and the stomach started feeling more like an addendum than part of my body. The idea of breathing into my abdomen, or pulling muscles in, really felt weird. And that frightened me a little bit because the body is supposed to be all connected; you’re not supposed to be feeling like something is an "add on."

So I decided to just start holding those ridiculous stomach muscles in anyway. And along with that, I kept my attention on that "ever growing" area by getting on my back and doing crunches.

When I’d be walking or leaning over or watching TV or just hanging out, I started taking regular checks on my stomach. When did it feel like I was seeing the stomach as an "add on?" Whenever it felt like that (with the exception of eating a big plate of pasta), I decided that I didn’t have any breath going into my stomach, and that wasn’t helping matters. So I’d consciously breathe down there (big inhale in, and big inhale out), and sometimes I even punch my tummy to bring the energy back! Now I’ve got an active relationship going with my tummy, and it feels better every day.

There are two amazing results of all this. The first is that, once I’ve made the routine of using my stomach muscles part of my daily event, it starts becoming second nature (give yourself some time with that sentence!). The second fun part is that, as I get control of my tummy, there’s not as much to hold anymore! (Expect the second part to happen after awhile.)

So now, instead of seeing my tummy as my enemy, I’m beginning to see it as a good friend who needs some love, attention and maybe a little punch once in awhile.

And all you people with big tummies, remember that you can get control of that little city down there. Your stomach muscles are your friends that can take you into the city and show you around. Your breath can follow all the circuitous routes of the abdomen, and abdominal exercises increase the strength, circulation and appearance of your entire abdominal area.

July 16, 2003
Remember to LOVE YOUR OWN TUMMY and KNOW YOUR OWN BODY!

01/24: The power of the palm
I believe that the palm of the hand has tremendous healing powers. Why do I feel this way? No, I’m not a fortune teller.

I’m just an average human being who has been living in this body for a lifetime. My palms have always felt warm, sensitive and slightly vulnerable. I’ve got the feeling that trading my palm with someone else’s (God forbid) would be a really awful experience because the new palm just wouldn’t be mine.

Concentrate on one of your palms for a moment. Preferably, take the one which has the most feeling in it – in most cases the one for your writing hand. Just feel that there is blood circulating in it, and that it is OPEN. It has an OPEN quality that is honest and very comforting. Feel the honesty and comfort of your palm for about two minutes.

Now, put your palm over your heart area. Feel the warmth of your palm go deep into your chest. Feel the comfort that brings you.

Don’t think that only that one palm is the be all and end all. BOTH are wonderful. It’s just good to start with one, and move to both.

Every day, when you’re feeling scared or uncomfortable, or even unloving, try concentrating on your palms. Move them to parts of your body that feel bad (like your hamstrings, for example) and just breathe into that area. Feel like your breath is coming from your palm.

You’re bound to feel the power of your palms.

Virginia Lynch