As I became more aware of the human body, which is a vehicle throughout our journey of life, I couldn’t help myself from comparing it to the car’s body.

The first thing that hit my mind was that the car and the human body help us in reaching our destinations safely. Both need regular servicing and maintenance from time to time for smooth running. Both need fuel for day-to-day tasks. Both are such a huge support system.

Initially, I felt I could connect and communicate more with my car rather than my own body. The love radiating for my car came very naturally to me. It had been my long-standing companion. The sense of belonging and security when you are alone in your car with music blaring is unexplainable.

I asked myself, “Do I feel the same love towards my own body? Am I valuing my body enough? Of course, whenever I fall sick, I visit the doctor and take medicines regularly until I bounce back to normal.

How well do I know my own body? Its rhythm and harmony. Does my body understand me? Am I just eating, sleeping, exercising and working? Am I sensitive to the signals which the body sends? How am I treating my body? Have I subjected my body to any kind of torture?”

I started unraveling the mysteries of the human body. The body is not a machine. It is an organic unity. Physical health means not just the absence of diseases or wounds. Health is being in harmony with nature. The body is very intelligent. It has its own wisdom. It supports us 24 x 7. It does breathing, digestion, circulation of blood on its own. It does not wait for any instructions from us. Huge respect welled up from inside for this efficient mechanism. The first thing that we need to do is say “A big thank you” to our own bodies. Let us not wait for something to go wrong in the body to become aware of the body.



Just close your eyes very gently and slowly. Observe the body posture. It should be as per our comfort. Feel the breathing and heartbeat for a few seconds. Whisper a soft “thank you”. Thank the body for serving us without any complaints. It might look silly talking to the body initially. No one has taught us to communicate with our own bodies. We need to get in touch with our own bodies.

The body supports everything we do. Be it trekking, painting, photography, playing games, cooking, gardening, driving, talking endlessly on the mobile, texting, chatting, shopping, etc. It never objects and says, “I won’t move my hands now or I will not breathe now.” It will digest everything that is stuffed into the mouth to the best possible extent. The heart does not stop pumping blood just because it is not in the mood today. What an amazing mechanism we possess. Isn’t it? Nothing short of a miracle!

When my grandfather was hospitalized, I noticed that as long as he was alive in the hospital, he was referred to by his name. Immediately after he answered God’s call, everyone addressed him as the body. After a person is declared dead he/she is referred to only as the body. All the parts of the body are intact and in place, however nothing is functioning within. So, get in touch with the being who is living in the body. Sense it’s functioning, it’s ticking, it’s aliveness and feel from within your own self.

Respect, love and take care of this body. This body is simply a vehicle. Whatever negative feelings you may have about your body which other people may have imprinted on you, drop them. You may be tall / short / thin / obese / dark coloured or fair. Whatever may be your shape and size, the functioning of all human bodies is the same from within. Don’t hold any misconceptions about the body. It is made up of the same matter in everyone. Feel the body’s tremendous dedication; gratitude will arise naturally within you as it is so supportive. Don’t ever abuse the body.

This is an excerpt from the book Erupt With Joy authored by Ms. Savitha Hosamane [available on Amazon.com & Amazon.in]