October is bringing us connection with Hathor, an Egyptian birth and death goddess. Hathor is an amazing ally for the work of letting go of body shame and reclaiming body sovereignty. By connecting with the everyday pleasure of living in our bodies, our awareness and understanding of what is happening within us increases and we become more in tune with what our bodies are telling us. This awareness and connection is what helps to do the things we want to do to take care of our bodies and ourselves. Imagine offering yourself care from a place of joyful pleasure rather than shame or self loathing.
Reflective Questions:
Think about your five senses and what delights them.
What are your favourite sights, smells, textures, tastes or sounds?
Do you have any resistance to pausing and enjoying the physical experiences of your body? What do you need to do to reclaim experiencing your body as fun and enjoyable? What can you do today for the sheer pleasure of it?
Information from the Goddess Oracle deck:
Mythology:
Hathor (pronounced hat’hor), though depicted in many forms, was mainly associated with the winged cow of creation. As birth and death Goddess, she was credited with creating the body for the immortal spirit to reside in. As creator of the body, she also governed all bodily pleasures: sound, music, song, dance, art, love and touch. It is said that she attended the birth of every child and revealed the pattern of its destiny. She was worshipped in Egypt for more than 3,000 years.
Meaning of the Card:
Hathor is here to tell you that the way to wholeness for you lies in connecting with what brings you pleasure and in experiencing pleasure. Have you been taught that pleasure is forbidden, something sinful or evil? Are you so busy fulfilling your commitments that pleasure is relegated to the bottom of your list? Do you deny pleasure in order to get work done? STOP! Time to change all that. Pleasure relieves stress and relaxes and refreshes you. Pleasure is the body’s way of expressing health and vitality. Pleasure is the oil that keeps you lubricated and lush. Hathor says that since you have chosen to be here in a physical body, you might as well enjoy it. Don’t wait for others to fulfil this need. Plan to give yourself pleasure daily and you’ll find satisfaction dancing in your life.
Ritual Suggestion: The Pleasure Break
Take a deep breath, and as you exhale, let yourself relax. Take another deep breath and, as you exhale, give yourself a moment of pleasure. It can be the pleasure of just sitting and breathing. You may choose to take a walk in the woods, bask in the sun, sit in a sacred circle, look at a painting, read a book, or listen to music – anything that brings you pleasure. Whatever it is, give it to yourself, either in actuality or through visualization. What gives you pleasure may change over time. If you don’t know what gives you pleasure, then sit with it, open to it, be receptive to finding it, then give it to yourself.
As part of our work of reclaiming body sovereignty I offer a monthly Goddess Guidance reflection. The images and card meanings are from The Goddess Oracle Deck by Amy Sophia Marashinksy. For each goddess, I offer a reflection on what insights/challenges/gifts are being we might embrace on our Body Sovereignty Journey. Feedback and comments are welcome!
Sydney is a body image therapist providing online counselling grounded in Health at Every Size principles. Heal body shame by reclaiming Body Sovereignty and once again experience peace, trust and respect in your body. To learn more about Sydney and her approach, check out: www.sydneybell.ca or send an email: sydney@sydneybell.ca