We all carry a bit of witchiness within our divine feminine if only we nurture her essence. Words are powerful, even m a g i c if you will, it just takes a little bit of training the sorceress within. These incantations will have you embodying that summer dress or swimsuit like the goddess you are. Because there is no right way to have a body, there are an infinite amount of ways for beauty to express itself, and YOU along with everyone else deserves to dance in their physique with pride and radiance.

Rising Appalachia · You and I Are Falling, You and I Are Free

Summer has never smelled so sweet as now, freedom flows in a manner that we haven’t seen in over a year. Living life in a post-COVID world is incrementally becoming more plausible; the sun is out, regulations are lifting, people are gathering, and events? They are happening! It’s time for us all to re-emerge and reconnect. As the sun beats down on the earth, baking it’s solar goodness deep into our warmed bones, naturally the layers begin to strip off. The rivers, beaches, and pool sides are beckoning to us to rejuvenate within their waters. Bikini season is among us and while that is reason enough to celebrate, it can simultaneously stir up feelings of anxiety, discomfort, and unworthiness for most women.

Our individual experience colors this internal dialogue in it’s own unique way, however, the troubling truth is that each and every one of us has a voice in our head that we’d rather not hear and it can range from slightly discouraging to downright malicious or cruel. This isn’t your fault. Forgive yourself now.

The messages are plastered everywhere, reaching you even in the oasis of your home, seeping in through screens and magazines like black tar coiling into the unsuspecting corners of your mind. Subliminally we are being inundated with the patriarchy’s ideal of the unattainable “perfect” woman, leaving 95% of us drowning in a puddle of not-enoughness. It’s not fair that our bodies have been used against us as weapons in capitalist warfare. It is not okay that we listened to our mothers pick apart the arms that held us, the face that felt like home, and the legs that created a warm lap to be snuggled in. No, we didn’t make it through adolescence in this culture unscathed. No, it’s not “fine”.

And yes, we desperately want to unconditionally love this meat bag that has carried us through each day, yet the reality prevails. It doesn’t matter what parts you are equipped with, what size your package, or what adornments you are blessed with; body image issues don't escape any of us. As women our sense of self is feasted upon, broken down into pieces by the patriarchy and served on small platters to companies and corporations which profit on our insecurities.

Sitting in the seat of awareness is the first step to reclaiming ownership of your self identity and your mental & emotional wellbeing. As cliche as it may feel, it all boils down to self love, sister. You do not have to like everything about yourself to love yourself wholly and completely. At eNourish, we are in the business of practicing radical self love & acceptance. These incantations serve as an addition to your personal care toolkit with the intention of supporting that journey, to arrive within yourself authentically, gracefully, and radiating pure, unconditional, cosmic, love. Because that, my dearest one, is the endgame.

But first…

What is an incantation?

When you hear the word incantation perhaps images of bubbling cauldrons or forest nymphs fill your mind. In reality, an incantation is applying a universal truth:

Words are powerful.

The spoken word ripples out into the material world in vibrations which is perceived on multiple levels of consciousness, therefore affecting not only on our conscious thoughts, but on the subconscious mind and the superconscious (or cosmic consciousness) as well. The feedback loop of feeling these incantations inwardly, speaking them into existence, and then hearing them externally instigates powerful transformation on several dimensions. Some could consider it akin to a mantra or affirmation. Yes, we can speak our reality into existence. Yes, YOU can be a sorceress in your own life. Each of us holds that magnitude of power within, it’s just waiting to be tapped. Take a moment to really receive that, breathe it in.

When working with incantations, repetition is key. This isn’t “woo woo”, it’s just a matter of altering your neural pathways to shift your operating belief systems to ones that are serving you instead of hindering you. We want to feed the positive settings and let the self sabotaging ones wither away. Twenty-one (21) repeats a day is ideal. It isn’t long, when you consider on average the amount of time used to indulge in less than rewarding behaviors - such as scrolling.

We recommend taking this time to gaze into your own eyes through the mirror while repeating, as if you are talking directly to yourself. This may feel silly or absolutely uncomfortable at first. This is progress in and of itself. It can be challenging to meet yourself in the moment, we are building trust and intimacy within ourselves.

You can build upon these or strip them down as much as you need to apply them to your life. Make it a small ritual with a mirror on your altar and light a candle creating space to honor this as truth, or carve out a couple minutes to gaze in your rear view mirror before arriving at a social gathering or even running into the grocery store. This is your personal practice, adjust it to your whim.

Without further ado:

Incantations

for self love

MY BODY DESERVES LOVE AND RESPECt, I am capable of giving it what it needs

I NOURISH MY BODY WITH HYDRATION, NUTRITION, & UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

i give and receive love with ease

I am so worth it

I LOVE & ACCEPT MYSELF NOW, AS I CONTINUE TO EVOLVE

EVERY CELL IN MY BODY IS LOVED

HOW I CARE & RESPECT MYSELF HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUTWARD APPEARANCE

I ACCEPT LOVE AND SUPPORT FROM ALL CHANNELS OF THE UNIVERSE

for body positivity

My body supports me with life, so i support it with love

my body is an expression of the universe

EVERY BODY is a bikini body

authenticity IS BEAUTIFUL

I AM MY OWN BRAND OF SEXY

I AM BENEATH NO ONE

I AM ENOUGH, I HAVE ENOUGH

I AM BEAUTIFUL, TODAY, RIGHT NOW

I TRUST MY BODY TO SUPPORT ME

for body neutrality

(shifting the conversation away from weight & image)

I accept me. I approve of me

I AM GRATEFUL TO HAVE A BODY

I am more than enourgh & so worthy of receiving love from myself

I AM SO MUCH MORE THAN A BODY

I LOVE MY ______

(intellect, courage, creativity, compassion, honesty. . . non-body related quality)

I HONOR WHERE I AM AT ON MY JOURNEY WITH APPRECIATION & GRACE

I GIVE MYSELF PERMISSION TO FEEL SAFE

I MOVE EASILY AND COMFORTABLY

LIFE & VITALITY FLOW THROUGH MY VEINS

MY SPIRIT FEELS AT HOME WITHIN MY BODY

~

Adapt these to meet your intentions. Amend, modify, and revise until it illuminates exactly where the shadows have been cast within. Meditate and create your own. Our brains are adaptable machines, the default program is to keep us living, not thriving. But when we step up and take responsibility for the way we operate, big shifts can be made. Your mind doesn’t possess the power to bully your body unless you bestow it. The true golden rule is to both treat and speak to yourself only how you would to your five year old self. Make sure she feels loved, beautiful, intelligent, safe, and cherished. Would you want that five year old to stay wrapped in a towel slumped on the beach because of the way her swimsuit fits? Or would you encourage her to splash in the tide, wiggle her toes in the sand, strip off the whole damn suit and feel the sunshine dry her salty skin? With a little incanting, you’ll revel in that sensory experience of summertime with no regard to society's limitations.