I SPENT A LONG TIME NOT REALLY LIVING IN MY BODY...

Well, obviously I was technically living in my body, but on every other level I spent the vast majority of my life numbing out and avoiding.

Growing up I wasn't taught the language and communication skills to identify and express my emotions with ease and free from negative associations. Not that I blame my parents at all, they did the best they could with the skills and tools they had at the time (and I love them both deeply) but there was a big gap between what I was feeling and my ability to actually FEEL and express freely.

I built an association around the perceived "negative" feelings as being dangerous, unstable and unworthy of love. I struggled from anxiety and depression from the tender age of seven and spent most of my time outside of school lost in storybooks that became both my refuge and my addiction. I was overweight and often sick; I felt like my body was an unsafe place for me to truly inhabit because I was always at war with either my emotions or the very real physical symptoms of dis-ease.

With no idea that this was anything other than perfectly normal, I spent my life filling my time with anything and everything I could to distract and numb out. But what I didn't know then was that if you try to numb out the "bad" feelings, you automatically cut off your ability to truly feel the "good" feelings. And that when your body is feeling nourished and loved, it is a freakin TEMPLE of delicious sensation, pleasure and a source of crazy-accurate intuitive guidance...

It took me years to find my way back to the joy and wisdom within my own body and it is my absolute honour to help guide women back to the joy and wisdom inherent in theirs 🙏🏻 x

(first published on instagram 12/02/2020)

divine art collaboration between @prue_stent and @honeylong