tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post3779861466513131149..comments2023-11-02T08:41:44.231-07:00Comments on The Sanctuary: Know your body?Spacetravellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02202131232540121117noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-3317831417501086492012-06-25T08:29:01.836-07:002012-06-25T08:29:01.836-07:00@ Amy,
I am sure all mothers know their children&...@ Amy,<br /><br />I am sure all mothers know their children's bodies for life, no matter how they change :-) I guess because half of it comes from them anyway ;)<br /><br />I guess motherhood is the ultimate test of self-knowledge in many ways...<br />Although most women DO get to know their bodies by the time they reach this milestone in their lives, I am pretty sure 100% of women become extremely self-aware after motherhood. It would be freaky otherwise...<br /><br />Re the body/soul, I stand corrected. I often see the body as separate from the 'self' whatever that is, precisely because the body dies, but you are right, while we are on Earth anyway, the body IS the self. Good point.<br />Those people who go on about 'my body is my temple' have a point, for to abuse the body is to abuse the self, no?Spacetravellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02202131232540121117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-34277057177657674152012-06-25T05:59:13.846-07:002012-06-25T05:59:13.846-07:00One little bone to pick Spacetraveler, our bodies ...One little bone to pick Spacetraveler, our bodies don't host us, our bodies *are* us. I don't take my body on a walk or feed my body. I walk. I eat. Although the human soul is 'separable' as we say in philosophic terms and 'immortal' as we commonly say, the soul is the kind of thing that belongs to the flesh- the soul forms the flesh (which is why the body decays after death, when the soul leaves it).amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04855155341038454366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-70258020232222228892012-06-25T05:35:14.777-07:002012-06-25T05:35:14.777-07:00As for knowing my body, I used to be clueless and ...As for knowing my body, I used to be clueless and stoic, but now know it pretty well. Natural family planning (fertility awareness method) and natural childbirth both demand attention and revealed my body up to me in its rhythms and function. (I had had no clue how cool it is to be a girl!) <br /><br />Being a mother has forced me to slow down and take inventory of my health and get the rest and water that I to heal. I now sustain fewer injuries, fewer secondary infections, and have a better idea of when to seek medical attention. Knowing my body has also helped me recover from childhood eczema by learning my triggers and avoiding them. <br /><br />I also know my children's bodies, for the time being. I have great faith in their strength and ability to heal. Neither has had any need of antibiotics. I know what is normal under various circumstances, how high the fever will go, and exactly how many days I'll watch that pesky cough before I look for a second opinion. This is confusing to me because I won't know them this well forever... or will I?amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04855155341038454366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-40769125476912483892012-06-25T00:15:16.248-07:002012-06-25T00:15:16.248-07:00Amy,
"The ears are different sizes, stuck o...Amy,<br /><br /><i> "The ears are different sizes, stuck out away from the face (constantly in threat by sleepy beauticians on hair cut day),"</i><br /> <br />Hahahaha!<br />I know what you mean. Mine don't stick out and still these hairdressers/beauticians manage to hit them :-)<br /><br />Elegant and dextrous fingers...I am constantly on the hunt for these...on the train, at work, even at Mass I 'check out' people's hands before I shake them :-)<br />(Gosh, I hope I don't across as creepy when I do this...it's totally subconscious and I hope not too obvious)<br /><br />Very few people have exactly matching ears...the majority of us are ear unmatched...Spacetravellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02202131232540121117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-4294358550888892542012-06-24T19:55:02.781-07:002012-06-24T19:55:02.781-07:00Late to the party! Start with the hands, as a poss...Late to the party! Start with the hands, as a possessor of dumpy childlike hands, I have long been an admirer of elegant and dexterous fingers (like the hand of my best friend growing up). My ears were taken up at a family reunion in my childhood and it was discovered that I and my first cousin were the last possessor of the R***** family ears... at least my right ear. My left ear was different. The ears are different sizes, stuck out away from the face (constantly in threat by sleepy beauticians on hair cut day), and make a funny little squiggle like the ears of my deceased father. I don't think that I've passed it on yet. I've fastidiously ignored ears ever since, although occasionally someone after class, or my husband will make the loud discovery, "Hey your ears don't match!" So I am aware that other people note ears even if I do not.amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04855155341038454366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-72918048289185405052012-06-24T06:02:37.038-07:002012-06-24T06:02:37.038-07:00@ PVW,
Yes, I see what you mean. Women understand...@ PVW,<br /><br />Yes, I see what you mean. Women understand their physical vulnerability quite quickly in life. Men don't encounter that problem until much later in life. <br />Makes sense!<br />Thanks for the insight :-)Spacetravellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02202131232540121117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-23424671349788710352012-06-24T03:36:41.103-07:002012-06-24T03:36:41.103-07:00Spacetraveler:
I am curious as to why men have su...Spacetraveler:<br /><br />I am curious as to why men have such an aversion to doctors/nurses. You may know why I ask this...let's call it 'reasearch'.<br /><br />PVW replies:<br /><br />As I think of the men I know who fit into this category, it seems to me that women are (in general) more willing to recognize their biological and physical vulnerabilities? <br /><br />As we grow up, we are made aware of them and thus we are more willing to confront them, ie., in going to the doctor and making sure everything is okay?<br /><br />But men don't have those as much, it seems to me, and so they don't develop the mindset that they should think of their health in terms of their own vulnerabilities? <br /><br />It is scary for them to suddently have to think of it? So they avoid it and only go when pushed to, ie., they have symptoms they can't ignore, or the women in their life drag them along?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-31739092238359382682012-06-23T14:10:31.926-07:002012-06-23T14:10:31.926-07:00@ PVW,
"Or they are body aware, but only in...@ PVW,<br /><br /><i> "Or they are body aware, but only in certain ways? Isn't there some indication, for example, that certain diseases in men tend to be asymptomatic compared to women's more obvious symptoms?" </i> <br /><br />Several STDs fall into this category.<br /><br /><i> "As you mentioned, I can think of men who just don't want to go to the doctor; they figure they don't want to know, and if they do know, it won't be good!" </i> <br /><br />What do you think is the issue here? Is it fear, or just laziness or perhaps a certain 'arrogance' ... what is it?<br /><br />I am curious as to why men have such an aversion to doctors/nurses. You may know why I ask this...let's call it 'reasearch'.<br />This subject fascinates me...Spacetravellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02202131232540121117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-27502058340888704402012-06-23T08:27:14.894-07:002012-06-23T08:27:14.894-07:00ST:
I have other friends who are simply aware whe...ST:<br /><br />I have other friends who are simply aware when they are in the 'luteal' or post-ovulation phase of their cycles when they start getting all the unpleasant side effects - the relative weight gain, the acne (if applicable), the moods, the mammary tenderness, etc. I am slightly sensitive to those too, but typically for me, days later than I should.<br /><br />PVW:<br /><br />Dipping into "TMI zone," you can add to that list, "the undies don't lie!" <br /><br />ST:<br /><br />Hm, I guess men in general must be very body aware, at least from the age of puberty, for resons that might be obvious. But I wonder if there are male equivalents of me, who really are rather insensitive to their bodies, except for weird fascinations with ears and hands? <br /><br />PVW:<br /><br />But you might be surprised; just thinking about some of the men I know, there is less of an awareness there, compared to the women I know.<br /><br />Or they are body aware, but only in certain ways? Isn't there some indication, for example, that certain diseases in men tend to be asymptomatic compared to women's more obvious symptoms?<br /><br />It just seems women are more used to thinking in terms of annual exams in ways men tend not to?<br /><br />As you mentioned, I can think of men who just don't want to go to the doctor; they figure they don't want to know, and if they do know, it won't be good! <br /><br />The unfortunate part is that some problems only exacerbate the more they remain undiagnosed and untreated.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-26579016950522919152012-06-23T07:04:42.747-07:002012-06-23T07:04:42.747-07:00@ PVW,
"...I don't want to get into the...@ PVW,<br /><br /><i> "...I don't want to get into the realm of TMI, though!" </i><br /> <br />Hahaha, that horse bolted ages ago...too late to close the barn door <i> now. </i> TMI away! :-)<br /><br /><i> "As for sex ed in high school, I can think of something I learned which helped me understand the story you are talking about: mittelschmerz..." </i> <br /><br />Exactly!<br />Mittelschmerz!<br />That's what my friend says she goes by. She feels the pain of her ovulations, literally like a 'pop'. And what's more, she can tell from which ovary she just ovulated - right or left. I was fascinated by all this because I on the other hand, if I get any sort of pain, it's constipation until proven otherwise :-)<br /><br />I do wish I were more in tune with my own body.<br />How cool that you too can time your ovulation via mittelschmerz.<br />I have other friends who are simply aware when they are in the 'luteal' or post-ovulation phase of their cycles when they start getting all the unpleasant side effects - the relative weight gain, the acne (if applicable), the moods, the mammary tenderness, etc. I am slightly sensitive to those too, but typically for me, days later than I should.<br /><br />Hm, I guess men in general must be very body aware, at least from the age of puberty, for resons that might be obvious. But I wonder if there are male equivalents of me, who really are rather insensitive to their bodies, except for weird fascinations with ears and hands?Spacetravellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02202131232540121117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-63123735758825089532012-06-23T05:17:19.230-07:002012-06-23T05:17:19.230-07:00Hi, ST, PVW here.
That is a funny ovulation story...Hi, ST, PVW here.<br /><br />That is a funny ovulation story. As for sex ed in high school, I can think of something I learned which helped me understand the story you are talking about: mittelschmerz. It might have been sex ed or high school biology, I can't remember which.<br /><br />I was able to tell, like she could, because I noticed it, along with other things...I don't want to get into the realm of TMI, though!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-28411002196429507942012-06-23T00:55:18.052-07:002012-06-23T00:55:18.052-07:00Whoa, JV, what a story!
The poor girl...
What a d...Whoa, JV, what a story!<br />The poor girl...<br /><br />What a decisively big fail on the part of her contraceptive...<br /><br />I don't know anyone personally who has been through this, but I have seen enough examples both in real life and on TV to wonder if this is actually more common than we realise?<br />Especially with hormonal contraception which does interfere with monthly cycles, so it is hard to know when one is genuinely late or just 'irregular'.<br />(Um, I just realised that the men are staying well clear of this post - all this talk of ovulation/monthly cycles has killed their interest :-)<br />Sorry boys. Didn't meant to turn you off!<br />JV and I will emerge from the female locker room any minute now...)<br /><br />:-)<br /><br />I agree with you that a logical reaction to the kind of sex ed that is taught in schools today should be chasteness.<br />But strangely enough the opposite happens...Spacetravellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02202131232540121117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-68944220062193025472012-06-22T15:06:17.773-07:002012-06-22T15:06:17.773-07:00I have to admit that I'm not crazy about sex e...I have to admit that I'm not crazy about sex ed in schools. It's gone a long way since we were kids. But even women's magazines don't mention it. I suspect that it doesn't support a sex positive readership. Still, useful information to know. It makes a good case for chasteness.<br /><br />As for unknown pregnancy...<br />My second cousins daughter had this happen. I don't know all of the details, but she went through an entire pregnancy without knowing. She wasn't an obese girl, but about 25-30 lbs overweight. The way she carried made it tough to tell. She had an implanted birth control (Don't know which one.) And even had surgery at one point during the pregnancy. (Luckily her child has not suffered any long term affects)<br /><br />She went into labor and since her mother was at work, she called her grandparents. She thought that she was having kidney problems. (related to her surgery) She ended up having a baby. Quite a mind blowing event for a 17 year old girl and her family. Everyone was quite devastated for not knowing.<br /><br />I'm not sure if her monthly cylcles were too sporadic to tell, or if implant birth control stops them. I thought it too tactless a question to ask at the time.just visitingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-41634853985059005202012-06-22T13:53:18.399-07:002012-06-22T13:53:18.399-07:00@ JV,
Another one for the piano hand club!
:-)
I...@ JV,<br /><br />Another one for the piano hand club!<br />:-)<br /><br />I am glad you liked the videos. My friend is German, so she of course could understand the lyrics much better than I.<br />She is the same one who also goes Tango dancing. She hasn't yet succeeded in getting me to the dance hall, but I reckon it's only a matter of time...In the meantime she keeps me sweet with great concert outings...<br /><br /><i> "I really liked your catch on game and love/strength in the lyrics." </i> <br /><br />I have my Manosphere goggles on <i> all </i> the time these days lol. I wonder if there is a cure for that?<br />:-)<br /><br />You are so right about words...my piano teacher made me feel good about my rather big hands and to this day I am grateful for that. She 'reframed' my hands for me :-)<br /><br /><i> "I can't say that I've ever known when I was ovulating. (Unless I do the math)..." </i> <br /><br />Me neither. Even if I bother to do the math I am sure I would still miss by a few days :-)<br />Those women who have no idea they are pregnant until they are literally in labour, I'm afraid that might well be me one day. I am incredible 'spacey' when it comes to body issues...<br />Even though I am in a biology-related field. It's all just theory to me :-)<br /><br /><i> "Something that I didn't know about my body was oxytocin, and it's effects." </i> <br /><br />Yes I know what you mean! It's a shame that this is not discussed more...<br />I am not really a fan of sex education in schools (although I guess I could be persuaded it's a good thing if done properly), but I wonder if they teach about stuff like oxytocin there?<br /><br />@ Bell,<br />:-)<br />Your analysis of ears is e<i>a</i>rily similar to mine. Hahahaha!<br />This hand and ear thing can be so funny...<br />I remember once, a cousin had a baby and when I and some other family members went along to see her and the new baby, whilst everyone else was busy counting the fingers and toes to see if they were all there, I was just asking myself, 'Now, are these gonna be <i> piano hands </i> or not in a few years?'<br />Hahahaha!<br />Wouldn't have bothered me if she didn't have the right number of digits. To me, what was <i> more </i> important was, 'are they piano hands?'<br />I guess her parents had a different take on this issue though lol.Spacetravellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02202131232540121117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-66255051724014589042012-06-22T10:49:01.054-07:002012-06-22T10:49:01.054-07:00@ST
Would it freak you out if I said . . .
You ...@ST <br /><i>Would it freak you out if I said . . .</i> <br /><br />You didn't even need to finish that sentence! I don't think that anything you say could freak me out. :) But you can keep trying! Hahahaha! <br /><br /><i>Speaking of celebrity ears, I always thought Prince William's ears are nice.</i> <br /><br />I've never noticed his ears, so I had to google them up . . . and I'm afraid this is one thing we'll have to disagree on, ST. :P It's not that they're <i>bad</i> ears. I just don't find myself admiring them! <br /><br />On the other hand, I <i>love</i> Kate's ears! They're a little like Natalie Portman's, stretching back rather than sticking straight up, but are (if I'm not mistaken) a bit larger.Bellitanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-19086599673036826362012-06-22T10:08:25.670-07:002012-06-22T10:08:25.670-07:00The videos are beautiful. Confession- the past few...The videos are beautiful. Confession- the past few days have been brutally busy, but I couldn't help but keep playing those videos in the background. Over and over and over.....lol. The world just seems better somehow. ( I really liked your catch on game and love/strength in the lyrics.)<br /><br />I have a piano hands story too. When I was little, I was self conscious of my hands. If I straightened them out, they curled up at the ends. One of the ladies at church remarked that they were piano hands. (Well, not really. They lacked the strength, but I saw my hands in a whole new light.) I was smitten with the piano bug, and learned to play. To this day it's something that brings me a lot of joy.<br /><br />Knowing your body,hmmn. I can't say that I've ever known when I was ovulating. (Unless I do the math) That could be because I had spent most of my adulthood on birth control pills.) <br /><br />Something that I didn't know about my body was oxytocin, and it's effects. I learned this first hand, but I'm surprised that it isn't discussed more. The concept that women sexually bond to their partners isn't politically correct I guess. Sadder still, I would imagine, would be to lose that ability. I think there are a lot of women who learn these things too late.<br /><br />@ Bellita<br /><br />If there had been a woman in the house...I had to chuckle over this. It was an insight that made an impression.Lol. It makes one wonder about the impact that our words have on another. A simple comment about a woman in the house, or piano fingers......just visitingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-28538275843123836432012-06-21T16:44:46.392-07:002012-06-21T16:44:46.392-07:00Bell,
I checked out the ears you mention...and I ...Bell,<br /><br />I checked out the ears you mention...and I see what you mean!<br />:-)<br /><br />JV,<br /><br />Can't wait for your 'piano hands' story.<br /><br />Yes we really have entered the twilight zone on this one, haven't we?<br />Apologies for taking y'all there.<br />:-)Spacetravellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02202131232540121117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-38507610531023974322012-06-21T09:27:28.360-07:002012-06-21T09:27:28.360-07:00I can relate to the piano hands, lol. I'll hav...I can relate to the piano hands, lol. I'll have to come back to comment. I've been swamped.just visitingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-25213935345435661892012-06-21T06:06:16.400-07:002012-06-21T06:06:16.400-07:00Bell,
And here I was thinking that my 'hands ...Bell,<br /><br />And here I was thinking that my 'hands and ears club' would only have a membership of one!<br /><br />You are indeed the first ever person I know of who shares my 'ear' thing. A few others I know share the 'hand' thing too.<br /><br />Just so you know, I am not at all into what would be labelled as 'pretty' hands at all!<br />I prefer the 'well developed' muscular type fingers one would see on people who use their fingers a lot, like pianists, guitarists, etc...And I like this in <i>both</i> men and women.<br />And what I have noticed is that a male pianist's hands are not too different from a female pianist's hands...Hélène Grimaud's hands for example could well pass for male hands if one does not see them attached to her.<br /><br />And yes, I did think of your guitar-playing when I mentioned guitarists in the post and wondered what <i>your</i> hands might look like ;) Long fingers - heaven :-)<br />Would it freak you out if I said that if I were a man I too would have done what your guitar teacher did and admire your hands? (As opposed to saying I would do the same as a woman - don't know which would spook you more lol).<br /><br />So for me, 'pretty hands' are out, (just as well I am not a man then) and I am so glad I don't have those myself...<br />And believe it or not, one of the few people who have a 'hand' thing that I know, liked my hands! But only because my non-pretty hands are still smaller than his :-)<br />And guess what? His ears are the best ears I have ever seen, other than my father's. <br />Anyhow, I decided to not go there with the ear thing because I thought it would be way too weird for a public blog such as this. But clearly, I ain't the only one.<br />Thanks for making me feel 'normal' again Bell!<br />I really do notice people's ears first, perhaps even before their hands :-)<br />It's certainly the very first thing I see on babies and small children, but I wonder if that's just because their heads are bigger in proportion to their bodies than adults?<br />Speaking of celebrity ears, I always thought Prince William's ears are nice.<br />By the way, have you noticed that most people's ears are not exactly the same? <br /><br />Your story about the man is so sweet :-) And your teenaged self clearly had a lot of insight!<br /><br />Whilst this type of 'stoicism' is more typical for men, I must say I do know a few women who also have this 'problem'.Spacetravellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02202131232540121117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5312159882790612546.post-78707608382341899562012-06-21T04:11:26.508-07:002012-06-21T04:11:26.508-07:00+JMJ+
I remember my first guitar teacher looking...+JMJ+ <br /><br />I remember my first guitar teacher looking at my hands and being impressed at how long my fingers were. (This was when I was thirteen.) Every time I needed to take a break (because my callouses hadn't grown in yet), he would take one of my hands in his so he could admire my fingers better! But he may be the only man in the world who will ever feel this way about my hands. They may be agile and strong, but they're not pretty! :P <br /><br />And I'm a little disappointed that you stopped before bringing up <i>ears</i>. ;) Those are the almost always the first things I notice about a person. I've always been charmed by singer Nicky Byrne's ears, which stick out a little at the top, giving them a pointed, <i>elvish</i> look. (Another Irish singer, Bressie, has ears I'd also classify as "elvish," although they're not quite <i>pointed</i>.) I also notice nice ears on women: when I watched <i>Thor</i> the other night, I loved the way Natalie Portman's ears stretch back instead of just standing straight up. :) <br /><br /><i>How many times have I heard, 'well he wouldn't be here if his wife/girlfriend/mother/sister hadn't pushed him to go to the doctor...'</i> <br /><br />I know a man who lived in a religious house for men who had made private vows of celibacy but did not quite count as monks. He had been feeling poorly for several months but didn't do anything about it, because everyone in the house whom he mentioned his symptoms to didn't think much of them. Then one morning, when he tried to get up from the toilet, he was too weak even to stand. That was the day he finally decided to go to the hospital, and the doctor couldn't believe how far along he had gone without a check up! (I don't remember what his illness was, but I can ask if you're curious.) <br /><br />This happened when I was still a teenager. I don't know how my immature self understood enough to say to him: "If there had been a woman in the house, that would not have happened." But it was an insight that must have made an impression on him, as I later heard from another source that when he tells the story, he always adds, "If there had been a woman in the house . . ." (Hahahaha!)Bellitanoreply@blogger.com