“I am not this hair, I am not this skin, I am the soul that lives within.”—Rumi

Spirituality has long been acknowledged as an important factor in emotional wellness - but did you know that there is evidence that spirituality can also improve physical health, mental wellbeing and body image?

What is spiritUality and why is it important?

First things first - what do we even mean by “spirituality”?

Spirituality can be defined as a sense of connection to something greater than oneself. For some, that might be related to faith or religious beliefs, whilst for others it might be independent from organised practices.

Our society’s current preoccupation with the physical body rather than the inner soul has resulted in a disconnect from spirituality.

Research shows that the fixation on the physical is detrimental to mental health and can be a source of emotional pain, even leading to an increased risk of self-harm (1,2).

In contrast, spirituality is associated with a reduction in depressive symptoms, a lower rate of suicide and a decreased severity in substance use. It is also linked to greater life satisfaction and self-esteem.3

What is body image and how is it affecting us?

Body image can be defined as an individual’s perceptions, thoughts and feelings about their body.

Current socio-cultural trends have revealed an ever-growing dissatisfaction with physical appearance, particularly in women. In 2013, a study found that approximately 50% of adolescent girls are dissatisfied with their bodies.4

Poor body image is thought to increases the risk of mental health problems such as the development of an eating disorder, anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.4

The Relationship Between Spirituality and Positive Body Image

Current strategies to improve body image focus on body functionality, developing self-compassion and improving social media consumption practices. But what if spirituality could be the missing piece?

In a review of the research, two main theories were found to explain why spirituality might be connected to a positive body image.5

ONE.

People who are spiritual are more likely to feel more gratitude towards the natural world, and by extension, their bodies.

TWO.

People with a spiritual practice are more likely to have a reduced level of self-objectification – this means they are less likely to internalise other people’s perspectives onto yourself.

 Spirituality has been demonstrated to improve resilience in the face of life stressors and societal pressures, which extends to negative and construed social media messages around the thin-ideal.6

 Let’s talk about a few spirituality practices and their relationship to body image, as well as how you can incorporate them into your life.

Mindfulness Meditation and Body Image

Meditation is derived from an ancient Buddhist spiritual practice which “aims to still the mind by eliminating negative thoughts, inducing a state of relaxation.” 7

One study found that mindfulness meditation was associated with improved body satisfaction in women.8 Additionally, mindfulness has been found to be associated with increased self-acceptance and self-compassion, which in turn can contribute to a more positive body image.

A recent 8-week mindfulness intervention conducted with 110 Lithuanian female students found improvements in positive body image, a significant reduction in the desire for thinness and a decrease in internalisation of beauty ideals and body dissatisfaction.9

You can incorporate mindfulness into your day by:

• Practicing gratitude daily

• Tuning into your body cues. For example: hunger, fullness, tiredness, tension, stress

• Tapping into your senses. What can you hear right now? What about smell?

• Focus on your breath for a few inhales and exhales

Yoga and Body Image

A recent randomized-controlled trial found that yoga-based interventions improved emotional regulation, reduced in symptoms of depression and eating disorders and increased embodiment – that is, a felt sense of safety in the body.10

Similarly, a study of women between the ages of 18 and 30 years old found that practicing yoga twice a week for twelve weeks led to a reduction in body-image dissatisfaction and less time spent focused on their appearance.11

This was further supported by a study of young adults which found yoga to have a positive impact on body image due to gratitude for one’s body, a sense of accomplishment and witnessing different types of bodies practicing yoga.12 The opposite was true, however, when classes were not inclusive of all body types, leading to body comparison and negative self-talk.

A daily yoga practice might look like:

·      Viparita Karani (legs up the wall pose) before bed

·      Bitilasana Marjaryasana (cat/cow stretches) at your desk

·      Baddha Konasana (seated butterfly pose) while watching TV

Nature Exposure and Body Image

Given that spirituality can be defined as a felt sense of connection to something greater and beyond the physical self, nature can be an avenue by which this connection is experienced.

A recent study found a direct relationship between a felt sense of connectedness to nature with body appreciation.13

Studies have also shown that spending time in natural environments including beaches or gardens significantly improved body appreciation.21 These results were replicated even in simulated natural environments, when participants were exposed to nature presented in the form of films or photographs.

Including nature in your daily life might include:

• Opening your curtains and windows to let light and fresh air in

• Introducing indoor plants to your home and work environment

• Growing potted herbs

• Using essential oils

• Playing nature sounds in the background as you work

To sum up…

A review of the research shows that spirituality can improve emotional resilience, provide a greater sense of meaning in life, promote deeper soulful connections, enhance gratitude, and reduce self-objectification.  

Try incorporating some of the practices discussed and see how spirituality can improve your body image and overall wellbeing.

If you're still struggling with your body image, you're not alone! Learn more about how Ari can guide you towards peace in your body by booking your complimentary RE-ALIGN session.

 

 Karli Battaglia, APD

Adapted from the essay of Ariana Rodriguez

 

References

1.     Dennison, C., & Coleman, J. (2000). Young people and gender: A review of research. London: Women’s Unit and Cabinet Office.

2.     Lloyd, G. (2005). Problem girls: Understanding and supporting troubled and troublesome girls and young women. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

3.     Rosmarin, D.H. & Koenig, H. G. (2020). Handbook of spirituality, religion, and mental health (2nd ed.). Cambridge, MA: Academic Press.

4.     Zhang K. C. (2013). What I look like: college women, body image, and spirituality. Journal of religion and health, 52(4), 1240–1252. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-012-9566-0

5.     Tiggemann, M., & Hage, K. (2019). Religion and spirituality: Pathways to positive body image. Body Image, 28, 135–141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2019.01.004

6.     Tylka, T. L. (2011). Positive psychology perspectives on body image. In T. F. Cash & L. Smolak (Eds.), Body image: A handbook of science, practice, and prevention (pp. 56–64). New York: Guilford Press.

7.     Lazaridou, A. & Pentaris, P. (2016). Mindfulness and spirituality: Therapeutic perspectives, Person-cantered and Experimental Psychotherapies, 15 (3), 235-244. https://doi.org/10.1080/14779757.2016.1180634

8.     Keng, S. L., Smoski, M. J., & Robins, C. J. (2011). Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: a review of empirical studies. Clinical psychology review, 31(6), 1041–1056. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2011.04.006

9.     Balciuniene, V., Jankauskiene, R., & Baceviciene, M. (2022). Effect of an education and mindfulness-based physical activity intervention for the promotion of positive body image in Lithuanian female students. Eating and weight disorders : EWD, 27(2), 563–577. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-021-01195-4

10.  Estey, E. E. E., Roff, C., Kozlowski, M. B., Rovig, S., Guyker, W. M., & Cook-Cottone, C. P. (2022). Efficacy of Eat Breathe Thrive: A randomized controlled trial of a yoga-based program. Body image, 42, 427–439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.07.009

11.  Ariel-Donges, A., Gordon, E. L., Bauman, V., & Perri, M. G. (2019). Does Yoga Help College-Aged Women with Body-Image Dissatisfaction Feel Better About Their Bodies? Sex Roles, 80(1-2), 41. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-018-0917-5

12.  Neumark-Sztainer, D., Watts, A. W., & Rydell, S. (2018). Yoga and body image: How do young adults practicing yoga describe its impact on their body image?. Body Image, 27, 156-168.

13.  Swami, V., Barron, D., Todd, J., Horne, G., & Furnham, A. (2020). Nature exposure and positive body image: (Re-)examining the mediating roles of connectedness to nature and trait mindfulness. Body image, 34, 201–208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.06.004