A reality that goes beyond the corporeal and the banal
Sadie García
Self-care goes beyond the physical care that the body requires, which is of course necessary and necessary, and beyond reaching a prototype, sometimes or almost always unattainable, constructed from social parameters based on dissatisfaction and consumerism.
Talking about women and self-care in this society influenced by patriarchal systems and highly masculinized, involves addressing the issue from a physical point of view and in a smaller percentage from a cognitive aspect; and the arguments that are given when talking about women’s care are still subject to the stereotypes subtly imposed by the media and belief systems about what an empowered woman is, influenced by the great pseudo female figures, which mainly social networks tend to promote.
We wonder therefore what is self-care in women?
From an integral and fair perspective for women, as Clarissa Pinkola says in the phrase that I quote
at the end of the text, “being ourselves makes us end up exiled by others”. In which she talks about the courage to be oneself in any scenario, in any context and no matter who we are in front of, always remaining sincere to our identity.
So, we have to go back to the essential, to that woman connected with her wild side that does not agree with what is implemented by trying to corrupt her freedom, denying personal growth. It consists in really taking care of herself, being faithful, finding herself and letting herself flow. This is easy to write, it is even easier to read, but it is a process and a long road of transformation.
Transforming all the belief systems about this issue in the women of our context, means to begin to redefine what it really means to take care of oneself and to inhabit oneself. For this it is extremely important to create support networks with new ideologies, based on sisterhood and the strengthening of feminine energy, where women are empowered from love and not from wounds and fear of not fitting into a system full of appearances and vanity; spaces where limiting thoughts about wellness are transcended and beliefs of authenticity, acceptance and power are generated, in every woman and in all existing and future generations.
Yes, historically women have been subjugated and tamed under social standards established by a patriarchal system; exiled and subjected to the thought that to be well and self-care; is to fit into physical beauty patterns only, the good news is that we are in new and better times for every woman to stand up and find herself. And as the great Nina Simone said “Love, as well as freedom, are situations and feelings difficult to explain. They need practice, they need to be experienced.
They never remain in the banality of a concept” this is the way to a good self-care, to start by each one of us to experience inhabiting ourselves, to put ourselves first, to be free and to come back to ourselves.
A woman who is inhabited, empowered and strong from her own love for herself, transforms realities, creates new and better scenarios, thus influencing her family, community and consequently her homeland. Self-care goes beyond matter, it is an act of revolution and love, a ritual to become again what was once denied to us.
“Being ourselves causes us to end up exiled by many others. However, complying with what others want causes us to be exiled from ourselves”. Clarissa Pinkola, Women Who Run with the Wolves.
Sadie Melissa García Citalán
Holistic Therapist
Local Coordinator of the Proyecto Buena Semilla
garciasadimeliss@gmail.com
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