The Sun and what your body still does well

/ a story

the woman who stopped moving because it hurt a little

this one comes up often. a woman who used to be active, walking for miles and dancing at every wedding, who slowly stopped, because one thing ached and then another, and resting seemed sensible.

when it gets read, it tends to move through three positions.

the nine of swords. the worry in the small hours. what it carries is the fear that any ache is the start of something worse. for her it means a good part of the stopping came from worry rather than from the body itself, and worry is something that can be checked.

the page of pentacles. the student. what it carries is the willingness to learn something from the beginning. for her it means asking a doctor or a physio what kind of movement suits her now, instead of guessing from what used to work.

the queen of wands. warmth and ease in her own skin. what it carries is a woman comfortable in the body she actually has. for her it means finding the version of movement she enjoys, gentler perhaps, and going back to it without needing it to look the way it did at forty.

put together they say something hopeful and fairly practical. a body that has been resting for a while is often waiting for permission more than repair. a bit of good advice and a gentle start will usually do more than another year of being careful.

what kind of movement did you used to love. i would like to know what it was.