In my first semester of college, one of my acting teachers uttered a phrase that literally struck terror into my heart.
“Your grade in this class will be based on whether or not your body noticeably changes.”
My immediate reflex was to clench. Somehow, I just knew that my body couldn’t be trusted to “change.” (Looking back, I realize I wasn’t hearing her actual words, and instead hearing the word “change” as a euphemism for “be skinny”, or “look like a model”…because my fear that my body wasn’t thin/pretty/conforming enough loomed so large in my mind.)
Some of my classmates raised the same objection, saying that the policy wasn’t fair, that we should be judged based on doing the work rather than on the results. The teacher, a former professional dancer-turned-movement teacher, was quietly insistent.
“If you practice the exercises faithfully, your body will change,” she said.
And, sure enough, while I didn’t look like a different person at the end of the semester, my body had changed in ways that I couldn’t have ever predicted. My lower back relaxed comfortably against the floor when I extended my legs out in front of me. My shoulders were less tense, and the curve of my neck was longer and more graceful. There was a feeling of ease within my physical form that I’d never had before.
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My teacher understood a pair of fundamental truths about human bodies.
1.) The body is always changing.
2.) Our activities, behaviors, food choices, thoughts, feelings, relationships, and choices influence (but do not solely determine) the ways in which the body changes.
She knew that by doing the stamina and flexibility exercises she taught us, that the postural muscles that had grown weak from too much time sitting would get stronger, and that the habits of tension we’d accumulated from school, family, and prior instruction would drop away as we practiced the stretching and relaxation exercises she prescribed.
While everyone will respond differently, every body responds.
I see the same principle played out now in my herbal practice. While I can never predict the exact results that a client will achieve, I know for a fact that their bodies will change if they start eating healing foods, creating a more supportive lifestyle, and working with the herbs that are right for them.
As we embark on “back to school” season, I hope you’ll think about the ways that you’d like your body to change and grow this year. And I hope you’ll be encouraged by the inescapable truth that change is inevitable, and that it is shaped by the choices you make every single day.
And if you’re feeling an inkling that you might need an extra boost of support to help nudge your body in the right direction, I’d love to show you how herbal medicine can make all the difference. The first step is for us to start with a Tongue Reading and Assessment Session, which will give me a clear picture of the patterns of balance and imbalance that are at the root of your situation. It’s a great way to learn more about what’s going on underneath the surface, and the perfect way to decide if deeper work with natural medicine is the right fit for your needs.
