Body Awareness
The body knows
The body leads
The body speaks
© Iris Pohl
The shocking increase of the rates of violence against women and girls worldwide and the overruling of their integrity through dismissiveness, degradation and discrimination at diverse levels, are constitutive aspects of an on-going femicide that is not just occurring at the physical level, leaving major seen and unseen scars generation after generation.
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Add to this the fact that we have become a porn wired society, where many boys start watching hard-core porn at the age of eight and girls are learning from a young age to submit to denigrating and abusive sex practices that are solely focused on physical attraction, stimulation and or achieving relief from life. Taking into account the devastating consequences that these trends have on both men and women, we cannot but conclude that harming ourselves and others has become totally normalized.
© Iris Pohl
Our innate capacity to be sensitive, to feel what is going on, open up, connect, be with and reach out for another, observe and register what we see, develop awareness of what truly works for us and what does not… is not being nurtured and given focus. Yet it is our sensitivity that informs us how to make choices that are loving and supportive of ourselves and others; and say no to cycles of abuse that are keeping us trapped in patterns of self-destructive behaviour.
We are in a worldwide trend of overruling, degrading and dismissing our sensitivity; to our great detriment. As a result there are not many people role modelling the power of sensitivity, and in the void we are left with the stereotypical versions of hardened femininity and masculinity that are reflected to us from every angle.
But there is another way. In our sensitivity there is great strength, and the key to developing this inner strength is to reconnect to the body.
Body Awareness is key to empowering people to take agency over their own lives, to make life happen instead of allowing life to happen to us, on terms that we would not naturally accept.
The Power of Body Awareness
Building Body Awareness is a foundational element to life that honours our awareness and sensitivity, allowing us to better understand ourselves and the world around us. Body Awareness is key to empowering people to take agency over their own lives, to make life happen instead of allowing life to happen to us, on terms that we would not naturally accept.
INDERA works with people of all ages and professions (and specifically with young people) to develop body awareness, building a strong quality of self-worth and harmony within the body that they can use as an inner compass to navigate their way through life.
We raise awareness about the fact that:
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The body is more than an object whose primary duty is to carry us from A to B. Likewise, our body’s value or worth is not determined by its physical attributes or desires. By reconnecting to the body, we gain a deeper understanding of life that makes us feel comfortable and settled within our own body.
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The body is the most precious instrument at our disposal 24/7. The body is communicating constantly to us about how we are doing, how life is impacting us and how to discern what feels true for us and what does not. Listening to our body helps us to become aware that sensitivity is a strength and not a weakness, and that we can live in a way that does not dull our awareness down.
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The body is our best friend and our quality of life depends on how much we are willing to work together with our body. Harming ourselves and others is only possible if we live in disconnection from the body. The body holds the key. Overriding it leads us into the underworld of harm and abuse. Listening and cherishing it leads to true well-being. The choice belongs to each of us, but the key is to know that there is a choice, and that a true choice is possible.
© Iris Pohl