Body awareness in the physically abnormal

Conclusion

No matter which of the above-listed basic attitudes a physically abnormal person has toward his own body, and no matter what theological presuppositions lie behind his attitude, he has a sense of body that the normal person can seldom experience. Many of us know the frustration of not being able to perform the simplest bodily functions without aid and pain; and we know these not as unique experiences but as, to us, normal. Many of us know, as well, the thrill of finding that we can move a muscle or a limb, or perform a physical task. Many have learned to distinguish between sensations of the skin, the muscles, the bones, and the nervous system—a distinction most normal people are never able to make except in unusual circumstances. Most of us are unable to predict with any accuracy just how our bodies will react in a given situation or to a particular stimulus; therefore, we are more apt to be aware of a tactile sensation or a physical reaction.

All of this, it seems to me, could provide a rich resource for the psychologists, the scientists, the philosophers, and the educators who are exploring the meaning of body. We who are so close to our bodies have much to learn from those who tend to take their bodies for granted or who are able to ignore them. Others might learn something from us about their own bodies.