Do you know how amazing your body is? Not only for everything it does for you daily to keep you alive but for the spiritual journey it participates in. For if it is true that we are ‘Spiritual Beings on a Human Journey,’ then it is also true that the bodies we choose for this journey have a huge role in how we experience being human.
Think about this for a moment. You chose to be either a man or a woman. You chose the genetic ancestral line of your family as well, for what its culture, history and physical characteristics could contribute to this lifetime. You chose the colour of your skin, your height and weight, and your body’s physical joys and challenges. And it’s through those physical joys and challenges that you experience being human. That being true, if you struggle on any level with your physical self and wish to change those struggles and increase your joy, then change your relationship with your body. Know your body as beautiful. See your body as your primary partner in this journey. Ask it what it needs of you. Your body will never lie to you, and if you are in pain, it has a message for you. Learn to listen to your body. Learn to celebrate your body. Learn to Love it.
Did you know that your body is one life-sized pendulum? Your body will always give you a “Yes” or a “No” when you know what to look for. Think of a “Yes” or “No” question, something significant to you now. It could be as profound as “Is it in my highest good to accept this promotion?” or as simple as “Is it better for me to have chicken or beef tonight for dinner?” Once you have the question in your mind, stand comfortably and still. Bend your knees a little and straighten your back. Now close your eyes and ask your question.
Notice which way your body moves. If you feel pulled forward, you have a “Yes,” and if you feel you are being pushed backwards, that’s your “No.” In this way, you always have your answer. Of course, it is completely up to you what to do with your answer.
Think of it this way—your body moves towards what it knows it needs and away from what it doesn’t. You can observe this in other people as well. If a friend answers “Yes” to your request to help you move this weekend but their body sways backwards, chances are they really mean “No, I’d rather not.” You may have to sweeten the request with an offer of pizza and drinks before their “No” becomes a “Yes!”
Try this exercise again with “Yes” or “No” questions directed at your body. Ask your body if white sugar or salt is good for it. Does it want more exercise, more time walking on the beach or in the woods? Maybe your body needs more hugs or would appreciate a massage. What about a nice meal with good friends? You can talk to your body each day, creating a bond with your physical being, allowing it to tell you what it needs to be in its and your best health.
This soul journey in a human body is so beautifully complex. There are so many layers to your experiences that go beyond the physical body. As you strengthen your relationship with your physical body, it will become easier to trust your emotional and energetic bodies, opening you to a world of light, sound and sensation that is usually just out of reach.
And it all begins with this amazing body you chose for this life. Learn to listen to your body. Learn to celebrate your body. Learn to Love it.