Body By Design

Anita Kaumpek

The truth is that the weight on your body is often a reflection of the weight on your mind. Your body is merely a screen onto which your thoughts are projected. By rewiring your thinking, you can release the emotional shadows and the weight will naturally follow. Understand that your body is not the problem, it's your consciousness. Let go of the weight on your mind and the weight on your body will vanish too.

  1. 01/03/2024

    BBD - Lesson 1: Tear down the wall.

    The practical part of this lesson involve 2 exercises:  Notice how your ego tells you stories that are unkind and untruthful. Become deeply aware of your internal dialogue. How often are you unkind to yourself? Start to notice and challenge the thoughts you have with love, and recognise these thoughts are coming from your younger self. It is very important to practice awareness with love. There is a little girl within you who is trying to keep you safe; be kind to her. Practice observing the patterns you created to keep you safe when you were a little girl. Are the things you say to yourself really true? Ask yourself: is this a fact or actually, is it fiction? Where is the evidence for the things you have been telling yourself and is it time to talk to yourself differently? Whenever I notice my ego come up and I feel fear, I take myself off somewhere quiet, put my hand on my heart and say “It’s OK Anita, you are safe and you are doing great. Thank you for looking after me but I have got this. I will show you a different way, a gentle and loving way – we can do it together.” See if this lands for you and if it does, use it as often as you possibly can. 2) We need to remove the wall that surrounds. You are going to look at each brick then own your thoughts and feelings that imbue that brick with such addictive force and then place it in the hands of the universe. By recognising what constitutes the wall around you, you will begin the process of dismantling it. Look at each brick, what I mentioned in the beginning of this lesson, and for each word write down in your journal what is true for you. Do not rush through this process. Here are just a FEW examples: Shame: I'm ashamed of blank. Perhaps you acted foolishly, and cringe to think about what other people might still remember.  Anger: I am angry at blank. Perhaps you feel unfairly treated, that have not released all your anger at the meanness of others. Or perhaps you've not forgiven yourself for self sabotaging behaviour in the past that affects your life now. Fear, I am afraid of blank. Perhaps you carry a secret fear of loss of tragedy and have not yet learned to release it.  Forgiveness: I still haven't forgiven blank for blank. Perhaps there was someone who betrayed your heart and you have not been able to forgive him or her yet.  Judgement; I judge blank for blank. Perhaps you think that others are behaving in ways that they shouldn't and you think or speak of them in negative terms.  Exhaustion: I feel exhausted because blank. Perhaps you feel physically, mentally and emotionally so tired, that you can hardly stand to awaken some days.  Stress: I am stressed by blank. Perhaps the bills you owe the response. Carry the needs of your family, the demands of work and so forth are a constant source of stress.  Injustice: it isn't fair that I blank. Perhaps you were overlooked or dismissed or thrown under the bus or not treated fairly. Protection: I feel I need protection from blank. Perhaps you feel there's a person or a condition that is a threat to your well being that frightens you. Selfishness. I am selfish when blank. Perhaps you grab for what you want in life without thinking of the needs of others.  Jealousy: I get jealous when blank. Perhaps you tear down others when you fear their success. Dishonesty: I don't feel that I can be honest about blank. Perhaps you carry a secret. Something you don't feel you can safely tell anyone. Perhaps it's a guilty secret or something that you simply fear others would judge you for. Add your own words to the list, explore each brick that could be keeping you stuck in your own stories and explore whether they really are true or not. Place each brick in the hands of the universe by simply saying "I hand it over to you dear Universe, I place this brick in your hand for I no longer need it or want it.".... or say whatever feels right to you but make the intention clear that you are letting go.

  2. 01/03/2024

    BBD Lesson 2: Thin You, meet Not Thin You

    Reflection:If you're angry at someone then it's hard to just say I love you; I love you and that its all forgiven. Sometimes you have to express your upset with that person before you can forgive him or her. How can you come to love not thin you when somewhere in your heart you probably hate her?  So there's no point pretending that it's easy to love not thin you given how much pain, shame, fatigue and self hatred she's caused you. You might intellectually understand that she's a manifestation of your thoughts, but that of itself doesn't make her go away. What you're going to do now is initiate a dialogue with not thin you based on honesty and transparency. A part of you has dissociated from another part of you, that dissociation has led to a profound dysfunction as one part of you has acted against the interests of the other. It's time to integrate the different parts of yourself in order to end the battle that's been raging within you. It's time to write a couple of letters. It's time for peace talks.  After you have asked divine mind/God/Universe/Spirit to guide your process, settle into a relaxed space. Now with your inner eye, see not thin you standing before you - begin a dialogue with her. Open your heart and allow a process of communication between these two aspects of yourself to unfold. Your work here is to share your truth, to tell not thin you how you really feel, how you feel she's ruined your happiness, how much you hate her even. Include the "I HATE YOU GET OUT OF MY LIFE" type of things.  Write a letter to her. This letter is for no one's eyes but yours alone but it is an important thing for you to write. You are not writing these things in order to attack not thin you, but simply to communicate with her: to begin a dialogue that allows you to surrender thoughts that are already there, but that if unexplored, will manifest as toxins in your system. Although the point is not to hate not thin you you cannot get to love without first acknowledging what stands before it.  Once you have told your truth to not thin you and allow her to respond. Here you will learn some very important truths. She does not stand before you craving food, she stands before you craving love. As with the writing you did regarding the bricks on the wall, never rush through this process, nor leave anything out. Tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  Having completed both letters, allow thin you to write back. Allow her to tell you what she wants to say. Your subconscious mind is delivering the messages you need to hear and the images you need to see. Listen deeply and write down what you feel is her truth. It's there.  Example:  Dear skinny,  ​​​​​Hold on, skinny superhero. Cut me some slack. I'm working my way there. I've found that yoga studio and there's a stash of avocados in the fridge. The sun's shining today and there's stuff that needs doing. I'm envisioning doing a hundred sit-ups with ease and rocking that tank top with flowers on it. I'm on it, alright? Geez, you can be a real pain in the butt sometimes. But thanks for always being there, in spirit – not just measuring my thigh circumference.  This cellulite, well, it's kinda my forcefield. It's my hidden shield, my way of keeping safe. A bigger butt means less chance of getting hurt. Not being able to slip into a gorgeous dress and own the dance floor means there's no opportunity for some jerk to come along and stir up another storm – another volcanic eruption of chaos. Being alone in bed with my awesome dog Laila and a big pizza loaded with sausage and cheese equals comfort and safety. Being beautiful and sexy? That's just an invitation for pain. Signed, your not-so-skinny self. ​​Do not underestimate the power of writing these letters. Building this relationship between thin you and not thin you is the beginning of your reconciliation with a part of yourself that belongs inside, not outside your castle doors.

  3. 01/03/2024

    BBD Lesson 3: Uncaging your thoughts & beliefs

    Exercise 1 - Explore the beliefs that are no longer serving you I am unworthy I am unloveable The world is not a safe place People are not trustworthy I am undeserving I am incapable I am misunderstood I am always abandoned I am a victim I am a burden I am not clever I am bad I am always guilty I am powerless I am unattractive I am separated from God I am sinful I am a failure Sit down with your journal and spend some time thinking about what beliefs you carry and which ones hold you back. When we strip it right back, we tend to have one core limiting belief that we then create lots of sub-beliefs from. Once you find your core limiting belief, you will be able to identify how it shows up on a daily basis. It will influence your relationships, behaviour, career, how you parent, your finances, everything in your life.It can take time to uncover all your beliefs and sometimes it might be a good idea to get help from a coach. That said, it might be very obvious to you when you begin to think about it. Start to ask yourself questions about where the same pattern keeps playing out in your life and why. Take a look at these examples of core limiting beliefs. Several may resonate, but is there one core belief you can identify? Once you have identified your core belief and sub-beliefs, journal about where it has held you back in your life and what you are ready to believe instead. These limiting beliefs are not true. They are simply the result of a meaning you made out of a childhood experience, and they have been influencing your life for far too long. It is time to let them go and rewrite your story.What do you want life to look like instead? Write out your new beliefs in your journal and reflect on what new patterns you would like to create. Exercise 2 - Letter to the little girl version of you The second exercise in this section is to write a letter to your younger self. This is a very powerful exercise, so be gentle and compassionate with yourself. When you feel ready, write a letter to the little girl version of you. Maybe she is 6, maybe she is younger or older – you will feel called to the age that is right for you. Take time to tell her about all the things you would like her to know that she didn’t realise then: her innocence, her ca- pability, how special she is, how pure her heart is. Tell her everything a little girl should know about herself. Share with her your wisdom from this future version of yourself. Take your time with this exercise; it is very important not to rush it. Imagine you are sitting with her and you have the opportunity to tell her everything that you would if you were parenting her.When you think of yourself as that innocent and won- derful little girl, how could you ever think you are not enough? How could you ever be horrible to yourself? She is you. She needs your love.

  4. 01/03/2024

    BBD Lesson 4: Who are you really?

    What if you simply created a new identity for yourself every day? Approach each morning with the excitement and newness of a blank sheet of paper and ask: Who do I get to be today? What adventures lie ahead of me today? How can I be of service to the greater good today? How can I honour my needs today? Practice setting boundaries. Spend time thinking about the following questions and explore where you can start to make shifts towards changing behaviour that is not serving your joy: Where are you bleeding energy in places that don’t feel good? When do you say yes, but really want to say no? Do you have expectations in your relationships that you have not communicated? How can you communicate your needs from a place of love? Where can you ask for help? Elicit Your Values Step one: Read through the words below and see which ones you connect with the most. Abundance - Achievement - Acceptance - Authenticity - Balance Wellbeing - Contentment - Care for Others - Humour - Honesty Order - Dependability - Quality - Courage - Kindness - Effectiveness - Creativity - Knowledge - Diversity - Empathy - Loyalty - Fun - Excellence - Openness - Innovation - Fairness Passion - Fitness - Faith - Perseverance - Gratitude - Family - Respect for Others - Simplicity - Freedom - Responsibility - Peace Friendship - Security - Self-Respect - Generosity - Serenity - Success - Growth - Service to Others - Wisdom - Independence Spirituality - Discipline - Cooperation - Love - Equality - Stability Winning - Teamwork - Self-control - Joy Step two: Identify 10 values, either from the list or other words you consider incredibly important that are not on this list. Step three: Identify your top five values out of these 10 – which ones are absolutely the most important to you in life? Step four: Answer the following questions about each of your top five values: Where do I have alignment to this value in my life? When do I not have alignment to this value in my life? What do I need to do to create a life more aligned to this value?

  5. 01/02/2024

    BBD Lesson 6: Get into the zone where the magic happens

    Exercise Draw two circles. The first one represents your comfort zone. This zone might feel like a security blanket but really, being here all the time is simply not serving you – it is time to step out and shine your Goddess Light. Write down all the ways you are staying in your comfort zone right now. What actions, conversations or steps are you not taking for fear of discomfort? The second circle is your stretch zone. This is the zone from which you want to live your life, gently moving your- self outside of your zone of comfort, learning and growing and taking new steps into the unknown a little more each day. One step at a time is enough. It is small steps and actions taken consistently which build up to great change over time. What next steps do you need to take to move forward? Break the big scary changes into bite-sized, manageable actions. Remember – you will not feel comfortable taking these steps. You are primed for safety. Uncomfortable DOES NOT mean don’t do it – it means you are in a zone of growth.Your comfort zone will expand as you take brave steps outside of it and allow your world to grow in ways beyond your wildest expectations. What action steps can you take that feel stretchy to move you towards your goals? Make some notes in your journal about actions you can take to nudge you out of comfort. You will probably find these little nudges align with the goals you set out in the previous section.

  6. 01/02/2024

    BBD Lesson 7: The amazing home you live in

    Exercise This exercise might bring up some feelings of discomfort, which is all the more reason why it is so important to do. Your task is to spend time looking in the mirror every day and to be kind to yourself instead of critical. Start with your face. Look at yourself in your eyes and ask yourself how you are today. Can you tell yourself you love yourself? If not, why not? If you can’t, you need to start practising – seriously, it will transform your life. You can do this practice when you are brushing your teeth. Start building a relationship with yourself. Tell yourself “I love you” on a daily basis, as often as possible.Every time you catch yourself being unkind to your body, replace the thought with one that celebrates your body instead. If you didn’t have this miraculous machine you lived in, you wouldn’t be here. It works tirelessly for you every day and I promise you, as you start to love the body you live in, you will feel so much more joyful. This second exercise involves some nice oil, even olive oil is great. With this exercise, you will anoint yourself with oil from the bottoms of your feet to the tips of your fingers. Allow yourself to emotionally lean into your body. Not recoil from it in wishing to lose weight. You want your body to do something wonderful for you. And as with any relationship, it is wise to first give what you wish to receive. Rub the oil into your body with acceptance, with love if you can, and with grief if necessary, but do not refuse it this gift. Take time over every inch of your body. Paying attention to each limb, Each curve, each scar at each joint. Do not rush, accept and affirm, apologise and forgive. You are learning to begin again. You are training your mind to give proper attention and respect to your body in how you feed it, how you take care of it, how you adorn it and how you use it. This exercise marks both the end of an abusive relationship and the beginning of an honourable one. It would be unwise to do this in a messy bedroom or cluttered bathroom. Both mess and clutter are reflections of a distressed mind and you deserve better from yourself. Clear up and beautify the area in which you are going to douse your body with oil. unless you are standing in a shower Place a nice towel beneath you, nothing with ragged edges or stains please. You are developing the habits of beauty. The process is as important as the goal because the goal is ultimately inherent in the process. Once you are done wrap yourself in a towel and when the oil is dry, place a nice robe or other soft garment on your body. Sit quietly and allow yourself to integrate the experience of reconnecting with your body. Then, with your eyes closed, asked divine mind to guide you to see your body exactly as it is, see it walking towards you. Notice your reactions to it and where there is not love see love begin to flow. Allow a mystical process of love and forgiveness to occur as your soul begins to inhabit your body in a whole new way. Allow your spirit to infuse your body and witness now as your body begins to reshape itself. See an elixir of golden light pouring over your entire body. Feel the miracle of this new beginning. Breathe in and out deeply and surrender all.

About

The truth is that the weight on your body is often a reflection of the weight on your mind. Your body is merely a screen onto which your thoughts are projected. By rewiring your thinking, you can release the emotional shadows and the weight will naturally follow. Understand that your body is not the problem, it's your consciousness. Let go of the weight on your mind and the weight on your body will vanish too.