When the body stopped obeying, Mariko Pajalahti finally had to learn to be kind to herself.
And he’s done a lot of them. As well as making music and doing yoga, she has acted, danced and won Dancing with the Stars, and has been involved in many other television programmes.
Mariko, 44, says that in her thirties she realised that she was not a single “particle” but part of a big network.
Now in my forties, I’ve had another new insight into life.
– With the screams of forty, art happens, when it really hits me that I’m an adult, who and what I am, and what I really want from life. What message and vibe do you want to leave behind in the world?
Mariko says that the body has always been a means of credit for her, which has been able to \”do crazy things\”. Eight years ago, however, the body failed in a way that was difficult to deal with mentally.
The long-term back problems that started from the witch’s arrow affected not only work but also leisure time expenses. Nerve pain took away the interest in dinner parties, let alone dancing.
– There was an element of loneliness associated with that period. Although it was really heavy, it wasn’t a disaster, but the volume was significantly reduced in everything.
Mariko teased about imaging her back, because she thought she would get a permanent diagnosis, a sentence for the rest of her life.
– At that point, the general conversation was not at the same level as it is today, i.e. back problems were automatically thought of as a permanent condition, Mariko elaborates.
The pain got worse and also spread between the ears, and when the right foot started to go numb, I had to find out what it was about.
Magnetic resonance imaging revealed two disc bulges with underlying general malposition.
You had to cut down on the work with a big hand and only do enough to get by. Taking care of them was also tough, especially when getting from one place to another was dependent on public transport.
– Dösä’s shaking hurt like hell.
The rehabilitation of the back took what seemed like an eternity and a half years, but after that the pain subsided, and it hasn’t bothered me any more.
Regular physical therapy took care of the body, breathing exercises and meditation for mental pain.
– When the pain grows to the point that you can’t just ignore it, it also becomes mental pain. It takes an insane amount of patience to maneuver it forward.
Mariko says that since she was a child, she has had a very clear spiritual world from which she can seek support.
– It’s a refuge where I can go, to other dimensions.
The body challenged Mariko again in 2021, when the desired pregnancy progressed to a difficult birth.
During the section, the myoma, a benign and quite common tumor of the uterus, ruptured and caused immediate danger to life.
The cesarean section was followed by extensive abdominal surgery and a long recovery.
– The amazing thing about trauma is that when it’s on, you don’t realize it. Only when you are safe will you understand how much it has shocked you, Mariko reflects.
– That Mayhem was so huge that the whole system changed, and I was no longer able to command myself over the challenges. You could have imagined that I would have missed being kind to myself, but no.
“That’s the big trip I’m on at the moment; kindness to myself.”
When trust in one’s own body wavered, it was necessary to change thought patterns.
– The gang has always said to take it easy and be kind to yourself. I had to travel a lot to be able to do it. That’s the big trip I’m on right now; kindness towards oneself.
When the body no longer obeys or it simply gets old, it is necessary to learn something new, Mariko reflects.
– And that’s wonderful.
*Musician and yoga instructor Mariko Pajalahti is a guest of the Half Seven program today, Tuesday, April 11, 2023. The broadcast starts on TV1 at 18:30*