Observations placeholder
The lived body – experiences from adults with cerebral palsy - 01
Identifier
023245
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
Clinical Rehabilitation 2007; 21: 432–441 The lived body – experiences from adults with cerebral palsy - Karin Sandström, Department of Health and Society/Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Sweden
When the body was in the background, supporting and enabling daily activities in a silent way, it acted as a not-appearing body. One important factor in not taking notice of the body was the absence of physical problems such as pain. That is, when the body could be physically used without interfering in daily activities, the person did not notice his or her body. This could occur often or infrequently:
... then there are days when you feel that there’s no limit to what you can do. (2)
Sitting with friends and relatives could be situations when the body was temporarily absent as it was not used in physical activities.
There were also activities, such as riding, swimming and meditation, which in a way put focus on the body, but resulted in relief and well-being, where the body was not a disturbing factor.
Not noticing bodily deteriorations was also a sort of not-appearance that could be negative as they did not take care of the body. Inversely, a consciousness of the body, resulting in a care taking with a balance in moving and resting also could contribute to feelings of a body that was in the background supporting daily activities:
My body feels much better if I do things everyday. My muscles become calmer.