Body Image: Discovering the Metaphorical Bodyby May Bleeker, 13 March 2009
In 2007 something happened to me that forever changed the way I think about the term 'body image'. Before this I thought of it as the standard definition: BI = The way I think I look, or the way I think other people think I look. Just before, and during recovery from an operation I discovered another side to it besides the external image (what I look like) or even the internal image (ideas and attitudes about what I look like). Besides the physical appearance we can all see in the mirror and the mental concept we have of ourselves, there is another way of viewing our physical selves. This view involves metaphors. In the same way your mental body image consists of information about your physical appearance (or what you believe to be your physical appearance), the metaphorical body also consists of information. This information runs deeper and is more symbolic in nature, but can have immense practical value. At first I didn't know what to call it. Then during one conversation with my 'knees' the term 'metaphorical body' came up, so that's what I'm calling it now. Before you think I'm crazy let me explain how this conversation with my 'knees' came about. Because this is a long story I've split it into parts to make for easier reading. These are the parts: -->next:
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