Bodily autonomy - thinking different

No Entry to Myself

Perspectives by Dr. Athira Krishnan S 

Background

When bodily autonomy is mentioned anywhere, it is mostly on decision making ability on one's own body and perspectives which revolve around this concept. Here, I want to mention another aspect of bodily autonomy, where one has to realise oneself as a body which embodies one's mind and soul. 

In this context, Nancy Krieger's work on embodiment and her thoughts on how the body functions with the embodied soul and mind and the social implications associated has to be brought to attention. In many persons whom we mention as " possessed" and also those we categorise as "mentally challenged" or "mentally disabled", causes have to be reworked and customised.

Pondering thoughts

The person whom we are as body, mind, soul with our past works, skills and thoughts give us our identity. Now, the question here is, "what if one or more of these is not ours?" My earlier article on "life and death - a changing idea" and poem "existence beyond" also mentions how unsatisfied, unfulfilled souls take their existence forward through naive bodies. 

Normality and beyond

Bodily autonomy, is understanding oneself in its fullest at any moment of time and satisfying the bodily and mental needs accordingly. Body and mind behave abnormally when the demands exceed the capability of both to manage. This is the breaking point where normality and illness meets. After this point, observers and society perceive the behaviour as abnormal, not confirming to the existing norms.

Bodily autonomy is beyond decision making, choices and rights. It is understanding oneself, as one body, soul, mind and realising the needs and working towards attaining satisfaction and fulfillment. Coercion also can be resisted when one flows with the wave. Deciding what is best for oneself at the moment, lies within you and any move to oppose it, complying with the opposing options, usually end as confusions, illness, indecisiveness, conflicts and extreme as riots, assault and stigma.

Questions unanswered 

How can anyone decide on what the body is expected to do and how it should behave in this complex situation ? When we talk about choices and rights, are we actually referring to ourselves and our needs ? Collective requirements exist but whether, "I" as body, mind, soul is a part of that collective has to be self assessed and conversed.