"I was diagnosed with anorexia at 18. Years of therapy & intense self-reflection have taught me that the eating disorder is like a silent temper tantrum, a quiet way to express unhappiness, sadness, anger, hurt, pain, & disappointment"
In my 20 plus years of navigating recovery, yoga has been essential to my healing & personal empowerment. Yoga teaches me how to connect from the inside out. I rest my mind on my breath as I embody the virtues essential to my ability to sustain a well-supported recovery--compassion, curiosity, kindness, forgiveness, perseverance
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The first inhale of yoga practice, that deep breath in, fills me. I sense my back expand as I move my breath wide. With my eyes closed & face soft, I send the air out with a purposeful exhale. Each round of breath draws me more inward. The rhythm at once soothes & awakens me
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My inhales nourish, my exhales renew. I'm reminded that there is so much more to me than an eating disorder
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I sense my strength & confidence in warrior poses, courage in wheel pose, grace in dancer's pose, openness in triangle, peace in hero's, & support in child's pose. I fold & surrender, reach & grow, twist & energize. This is the yoga of my eating disorder recovery
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Rather than struggle to banish my dark side, I respect its wisdom & allow it to show up on my mat & reveal hard truths so that I can nurture true healing & create lasting change within
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My recovery is always evolving, & yoga is not a cure. Ironically, it's exactly because there is no such thing as a perfect recovery that I can come to my mat & experience nuances in my healing & thrive in my life"
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Jennifer is also featured on this month's Fierce Calm x Yogi Misfits Podcast alongside @melmelklein & host @dannipomplun (Link in Bio ☝️)
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Jennifer Womer Kreatsoulas, PhD, C-IAYT, E-RYT-500, is a yoga therapist specializing in eating disorders & body image. She is coauthor of the book 'Body Mindful Yoga: Create a Powerful and Affirming Relationship With Your Body' (Llewellyn Worldwide, 2018).
