Ganeshpuri body shapes and sizes

People in India have a very different view of big bodies than people in America. Here, the word fat is simply a body type. There's not the shame associated with the word like in the states. Having had a big body most of my life, this is an refreshing change!

I first discovered this when an Indian friend of mine compared his tall and slender body to my tall and full body. He was Vishnu.

I was Ganesh.

He was so sweet when he said that. There was no malice or judgement. It was just a fact. We have different body types. And Ganesh is the remover of obstacles, so I appreciate being compared to him!

Then there's my hostess, Yogini. On my second day here, she said, "I used to be fat like you. Then I got sick and ended up in the hospital where I lost weight. Let me give you some of my old clothes." Here, some folks refer to overweight people as healthy.

One day, as I walked out of the temple, a young Indian woman approached me. She said, "Oh my gosh, you are so beautiful! Where are you from? Can I take a selfie?". I'm not used to that kind of a response, though I certainly could get used to it. The lack of shame associated with the extra pounds I carry is liberating!

This morning, I was chatting with a woman who is a lawyer from Mumbai. She has been here for the last few days, and we both sit up front at the temple. We've exchanged pleasantries and she told me she was heading back to Mumbai today. Then she asked me why I was so fat. Not in a mean way, but in a curious way. I was a little taken aback by her question, and I don't remember what I said in response.

We connected on WhatsApp, and shared the exchange below...

I'm incredibly moved by her comments. I'm grateful to inspire her. And the line, "Yet in that pain a flower has bloomed" brings tears to my eyes.

I've done a lot of work on my body image over the years. Immersing in this culture, and experiencing their perceptions has burned away stuff I didn't know remained. What an incredible and unexpected gift! 🙏💖🙏