Have you ever read a book that was so good you couldn’t put it down? And so good you didn’t want to pick it up again, because it would mean this satisfying experience would end too soon?
Well, I’m in the middle of such a book, for the second time. 🙂 It’s called, The Forgotten Body: A Way of Knowing and Understanding Self’, by Elissa Cobb.
I think one of the reasons I love this book so much is because it’s rich with knowledge about the body as an instrument for change. A knowledge that comes from Ms. Cobb’s years and years of working as a Yoga therapist, in addition to her personal experience working with her own body as a vehicle for growth, change, and cultivating an authentic relationship with herself.
Another reason I love this book is because it echoes my understanding and beliefs about the body as a guide in the process of transformation. It’s comforting seeing some of them in action in the mind and practice of someone ahead of me in experience. It makes me feel less alone, but less loopy too, as the idea of the body being anything other than a one dimensional machine is unpopular in mainstream healthcare.
The author talks about the body being a living organism, a storehouse of our unique individual (and collective) wisdom. That if we take the time to listen to the body, it will guide us out of our pain.
This sheds new light on the saying “we have everything we need inside”. Quite literally we do have everything we need, and it’s living in our body. As a result, we can turn our attention there rather than to some place outside of ourselves for reliable answers to questions about life and self. The information we receive from the body can both help us to change, and, affirm we have what we need right now to grow further.
The author also talks about remembering memories that have long been forgotten. And how there’s a timing to remembering. We don’t know when this will be, but the body does.
In the meantime, our memories live in our muscles and fascia. Turning our attention toward felt sensation in the body we will help us with the process of remembering. Doing this ‘work’ in the company of a compassionate person who understands how not to interfere with this natural process, becomes invaluable.
I could go on and on about what I love about this book. But it’s probably better that you take a look at it for yourself if you’re interested.
I love it so much it’s one of the titles listed at our new Resources page at the blog. It’s a starting place for a collection of cutting edge resources that support body-centered healing and transformation, with a Yogic twist. 🙂 The collection includes something to read, something to watch and something to feel.
While in its infancy, you still might find something there that speaks to your heart. To check it out, click here.