“Movement never lies: it is a barometer telling the state of the soul’s weather to all who can read it.”
~Martha Graham, American Dancer & Choreographer
Not all of us are triathletes. And, not all of us are couch potatoes. Most of us fall somewhere in between.
I tend to label myself in the category of homebody intellectual, meaning that most of my pursuits require brain or some occasional hand-eye coordination but few of them require me to get off my butt and leave the house. Yet, I still consider myself a well-rounded person.
Until recently I saw no problem with this arrangement, but have suddenly come to understand that to be active and breath fresh air is just as important to a spiritual life as are faith and meditation.
Those of us who maintain an active spirituality often eschew physical exercise and physical labour in favour of chanting “Om” and reading about the power of attraction or the life of the Dalai Lama. Yet getting spiritual must also mean acknowledging the divine nature of your physical body.
Our family recently lost a beloved pet. From muscular and energetic he sickened and went down hill so suddenly that we very clearly saw what happens when a spirit leaves this physical existence. As he got closer to passing away his eyes lost their sparkle and his spirit slowly became unmanifest. He fought and fought, following us and meowing, laying with us and attempting to swat at his old toys. His spirit was not willing to leave, it wanted to live more. Then, when he crossed over, his little furry body, which had been so sleek and beautiful and cuddly, just looked like an empty shell – a puppet.
Seeing this process with a loving eye, I had to then stop and look at my own life, my husband’s and my baby’s. Could neglect of our bodies, our environment and our natural world take one of us from this physical plane before we truly were ready to go? Could our lovely little soul family be separated so easily and so rapidly?
Spirits come to this world to experience the magic of being a spirit and yet being able to act and create and learn on a physical, solid level. Some are taken back to spirit long before … Continue reading →
