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Radical

Pertaining to the basic or intrinsic nature of something

Wiktionary

Consent

To express willingness, to give permission

Wiktionary

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Do you have an adversarial relationship with your body?

Radical consent is about way more than just sex. For me, it’s fundamentally about living a non-violent life.

Radical consent means trusting and listening to my body absolutely. Wholehearted consent to the present moment, to whatever I am engaged in. And that when part or all of me does not consent, I will stop. My body can trust my mind to take care of the body and the mind. I can trust myself completely, and in that sea of trust I have learned that my body will always lead me towards right speech and right action, towards skillful means and compassion.

I believe our bodymind can be trusted absolutely, but our ability to hear that inner voice depends on our body’s ability to trust “us”, our minds, to listen and really hear. When we are at war with out body, we cannot hear those non-delusional messages.

The self-war can be physical: I need to lose weight, I have to exercise more, I’m not worthy of rest, I shouldn’t eat that.

The war can be psychological: I should know better, How could I be so stupid, What was I thinking, I’m such an idiot.

The war can be spiritual: I must not move until the meditation bell rings, I must sit this 7-day silent retreat, I should have more faith in God, God/The Universe must be punishing me.

If we are treating our bodies in a fundamentally violent and extractionist way, how can we ever hope to treat other beings and the entire earth with compassion?