The Importance of Our Physical Body as We Embrace Our Spirituality
Lately, my body has been demanding much more attention than it has in a long time. I’ve had a health crisis before, but back then the origin seemed clear, and so the path to healing felt clear too.
This time was different. Nothing worked the way it used to. It annoyed me, it frustrated me, and honestly, I didn’t want to deal with it — until I had to.
What I finally saw was how much I had been resisting my physical body, which also meant I wasn’t really listening to it.
I’ve heard many times that our body is the temple of our soul, that it deserves to be honored and appreciated. But knowing this in your mind and feeling the truth of it in every cell of your body are two completely different experiences.
I’m grateful for this recent journey because I’ve been able to let go of beliefs about my body that no longer serve me.
One realization stood out for me:
To our body, we are God.
It believes everything we think or say to it or about it.
Try it out! Here is a simple way to experience this for yourself:
- Sit comfortably
- Take a breath
- Let your shoulders relax
- Soften your gaze or close your eyes
Now say something critical about your body, like:
“I’m just not tall enough.”
Notice how that lands. Does your body feel deflated, sad, or a little lower in energy?
Take another breath and let that thought go.
Now say something positive, like:
“My heart is beating so strongly — how wonderful.”
or
“Thank you, body. You are amazing.”
Do you feel the difference?
Does your body feel a bit more upbeat, relieved, or grateful to be acknowledged?
This short excerpt from Emmanuel’s Book — A Manual of Living Comfortably in the Cosmos says it beautifully:
“Your physical bodies
can be symbols to you of restriction,
of ultimate pain and death,
of surprising and alarming needs
and of unexpected triviality
that knows no bounds of denigration.
Or they can be seen as chosen vehicles
that souls are inhabiting
because, rather like space suits,
they are necessary where you are.
It is within your humanity
that you will learn
to recognize your divinity.”
Take a moment to tune in to your body. What has your body been trying to tell you? Do you hear its whispers?
In our culture we are not necessarily encouraged to truly listen to our body’s needs. We often criticize our body for what it is not. And now imagine the message this criticism sends to our cells.
Our physical body is as well “just” energy, only at a different vibration than our energy body.
