Lisa Hopkins 0:01

Hey there , today I want to talk to you about the most important relationship that you will ever have , the relationship with the one who has been by your side ever since you were born and will stay with you until you take your very last breath . I'm talking about your relationship with your body . What is the first thought that arrives when you think about your body ? I'm willing to bet it's something about how it is lacking Too thick , too thin , too weak , too short . You know the drill Our body has to listen to a lot of criticism from us , but when was the last time that we actually listened to our body ? There's so much that our body can tell us if we just hold space for it to express itself . I'm going to share with you something that happened to me recently that really reignited the importance of this to me in my life .

Lisa Hopkins 1:13

Movement used to be built into my life because that's what I did for a living . Most days , I would dance for at least four hours , usually more , and then there was the time spent on my feet getting to the class or the theater , or standing on the subway , walking to the train . My body was in motion all the time . I regularly asked , slash forced my body to do things beyond what was comfortable or reasonable in pursuit of art or achievement , and my body faithfully complied . Pursuit of art or achievement and my body faithfully complied . I can see now how incredibly strong and unconditionally loyal my body was , despite decades of using the mirror as a reflection of what was missing or needed , a tool to criticize or to look for imperfections . I used my body as a vehicle to express myself and through that expression I have found much joy . But the question that I'm pondering today is when was the last time that we held space for our body to express itself ? So the other day I was on my mat in my studio doing some simple stretches , like I often do between sessions or when I remember to step away from my desk . It's hard sometimes , because I get really absorbed in what I'm doing .

Lisa Hopkins 2:37

The beautiful cello music wafted around me and through me like the aroma of something delicious cooking on the stove in the kitchen , and I breathed it in as I spontaneously raised my arm without thinking , allowing my body to inspire my movement . The more I listened , the more my body told me what it needed . Although I was simply seated on the ground and the movement was minimal , it felt like the two of us were dancing as one . It was spontaneous but connected , different from improvisation , which I do love to do . I wasn't reacting or even responding to the music . I was well . I was simply listening to my body . As I sat cross-legged and still on the ground , I could actually feel my spine stretching in both directions . There was this sensation of being deeply rooted in the ground beneath me , lengthening far beneath the studio floor into the fertile earth that supported the building from far , far below and the top of my head , from the back of my neck , extended in the opposite direction , upward . I felt as if I was in a trance , channeling something else and yet , at the same time , absolutely clear , guided now by only my body . I scooped my arms down to go up , gathering energy and raising my breastbone to the sky in a high release . I felt open and powerful and completely ready to receive . I took a deep breath and on the exhale I smiled from deep in my heart . I was one with my body .

Lisa Hopkins 4:45

Unexpectedly , tears began to stream down my cheeks like a gentle rain on the petal of a tulip that has opened its petals to the sky . It was sublime . It was sublime what began as an intermission between sessions , to get out my kinks , transformed into this gift from my body which , unbeknownst to me , had been holding on to something for me . It was holding on to it until I was ready to let it go . Although I know intellectually that our bodies have an incredible capacity to hold on to pain , I had no idea that I needed to release anything until that moment .

Lisa Hopkins 5:31

As the tears stream down my face , I looked into the mirror with love and thought about my mom and all the years that we had spent together in the studio , moving our bodies together .

Lisa Hopkins 5:50

I felt the urge to summon her and , as I write this , imagine that she had already answered my call in the gentle caress of my warm and happy tears . It felt amazing to connect with my body in that way and I urge you , dear listener , to do the same . Love your body as it has loved you and allow it to be ally and treat it as you would your closest friend . I still dance all the time , but these days I dance with my body to the rhythm of my unfailing heart , and when I look in the mirror , I marvel at how lucky I am to have a body that holds me up and supports me unconditionally . There are no coincidences in life , so it's no surprise that today is my mom's birthday . Mom would have been 86 today . Happy birthday , mom . You will live forever in my body and soul . I'm Lisa Hopkins . Thanks so much for listening . Stay safe and healthy , everyone . Get out there and dance and remember to live in the moment .