Introduction : Self ‐ care Translated into Practice

A major obstacle to coming to terms with the full reality of bodily life is the widespread myth that the body can be controlled. [...] The essence of the myth of control is the belief that it is possible, by means of human actions, to have the bodies we want and to prevent illness, disability, and death. Like many myths, the myth of control contains a significant element of truth; we do have some control over the conditions of our bodies, for example through the physical risks we take or avoid and our care for our health. What makes it a myth is that people continue to cling to it even where there is overwhelming evidence against it, and that most versions of it are formulated in such a way that they are invulnerable to evidence against them. (Wendell 1996:93)