In a world so hyperfocused on fixing the body, we forget it can also be our greatest messenger. After almost 40 years of living with eczema, I’ve finally learned how to listen to what my body is telling me through it.
Living with Eczema as a Lifelong Messenger
I’ve had eczema on various parts of my body since I was a little girl. Looking back, it was as though the circumstances I was in brought it to a specific region of the body.
I won’t go into all the details because this is not a personal story about living with eczema. This post is specifically about how eczema became my messenger.
My hope is that this post gives you a new perspective on the phrase, “don’t kill the messenger”—specifically when it comes to the body.
A Blister Arrives Overnight
I’m currently in a somewhat stressful period of time for a multitude of reasons. And while I haven’t had a flare up in quite some time, I literally woke up this morning with a single blister on my right hand.
I found it odd to observe myself waking up scratching a fully formed blister that seemingly developed overnight. At the same time, I realized—maybe I’m carrying more stress than I thought.
Towards the end of the day, I got a nudge to go deeper. So I dropped in to try to decode any message beyond—girl, you’re stressed!
Decoding Messages from the Body
To decode this message from my body, I started with the placement.
It was on my right hand.
The right side of the body is said to be action-oriented, giving, masculine, solar, and connected to the left hemisphere of the brain. This is considered to be the logical, analytical thinking mind.
I then looked closer through the lens of palmistry. It was between the head and life lines directly in the center line of my index finger.
Not versed in palmistry, I turned to Google with an assist from AI. Here’s what it offered me:
The Head Line governs logic, thought, overthinking, and decision-making. It can reflect mental stress, analysis paralysis, or fear of getting it wrong.
The Life Line reflects vitality, grounding, and physical safety and security—where we root into our right to exist and thrive.
Where these two lines nearly touch or intersect, we often hold the tension between “what I know” and “what I need to survive.”
To have a literal itch or irritation rise up right in that spot suggests: You’re trying to think your way to safety, when your soul is asking you to feel your way to trust.
Realization
I read this and immediately knew the message.
This interpretation from AI directly correlates with me falling back into old wounded patterns of putting up defenses and preparing for the worst, while simultaneously trying to embody new patterns of trusting in what is.
Trusting that what arises is purposeful and to not create unnecessary stress and anxiety with what “might” happen.
While my thinking mind understood this about my current situation, my body was inviting me to embody it.
Embodiment and Ayurveda
AI gave me suggestions to work with it, which included using an essential oil or oil with it. This immediately brought me to Ayurveda.
I realized another layer.
I had too much pitta (fire + water) in my system. This was also throwing me out of balance constitutionally.
In Ayurveda, pitta often represents: heat, digestion, intensity, and drive—so an excess can often show up as inflammation, irritability, control, or skin issues. (Feel free to learn more about pitta in this post if it resonates.)
While I mentioned I was in a stressful period, I left out the fact that anger has been a primary emotion erupting out of me through it.
This brought me to the beautiful realization of how lovingly poetic the body is in its messaging when we choose to see it that way.
The Body Responds
Needless to say, I was shocked—yet not surprised—when the blister healed in less than two days.
For context, these types of blisters usually take several days to over a week to fully heal, especially if they’re scratched or aggravated. The fact that mine resolved in just a day and a half felt remarkably fast—almost like my body was showing me how quickly balance can return when I listen and respond with care.
If you’re wondering about topical treatment, I didn’t use the medicated cream that I have for it. My mom even suggested I put it on, and I “forgot”. I only put on coconut oil as part of the healing ritual after hearing its message.
To be honest, I felt a nudge not to when my mom suggested it. In the moment, I assumed it was the part of me that avoids using medication or the part of me that struggles with self-care at times.
It didn’t dawn on me that the nudge was because a teaching was unfolding.
The Poetic Language of the Body
So friends, what if every symptom—every sensation—isn’t a problem to fix, but a message needing to be heard?
What if the body isn’t betraying us, but notifying us?
If you’re moving through a moment where your body is speaking to you—stomach ache, a pimple, a restless night—pause.
Ask what it’s trying to tell you.
And listen—not to find the answer, but to remember your body is your ally. The moment you return home to it, the “answers” often find you.
Until next time friends, stay curious.
You Might Enjoy
- Pitta Season
- How To Reconnect With Your Body
- A Powerful Lesson Hidden in a Few Bumps and Bruises
- Divine Timing On The Road: What A Reckless Driver Taught Me
Creative Offering:
If these words serve you, let them fly.
If you teach from them, may they bloom again.
Credit is kind. Integrity is everything.
Blair is a registered dietitian, certified intuitive eating counselor, E-500 RYT and Reiki Master. She integrates spirituality with modern day science to help people heal and reclaim their relationship with their body and food. Disclaimer:
These are my current musings — proofread and edited by AI. This content is intended for informational and inspirational purposes only and does not constitute medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the support of a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional regarding any concerns or conditions.