How are you feeling right now? Would you say something aches in you? Is something sprained or broken? Or are you a-ok?
As much as we fall into the trap of thinking we are simply a soul walking around in a shell -- we're not -- which brings us to our word of the week: body.
Body is defined as the main, central, or principal part of something or someone.
I love this definition of body because in the context of our physical bodies it brings us back to this truth: we can't get along in life without a relationship with our body. It is the core of who we are. It's our main thing.
Yet how poorly so many of us treat ours, right? How poorly our life can feel when ours simply don't work as they should.
But is body + faith something you hear a lot of people talking about? From my vantage point, no.
I can't tell you how many times I've sat in people's homes and they've forced an extra piece of cake on me. Or I've been in a meeting that goes on and on without any breaks. Or no one talks about mental health or how trauma informs how we treat the body.
Don't stop reading right now. This will not be a lecture about diets, exercise or a daily meditation plan. I wouldn't do that to you.
But here is what i really want to say-- if you're interested in being a spiritual person, then you can't ignore what your body is trying to tell you for the good or bad. Your cells, your nerves, and your muscles are guiding you all the time.
Your body wants to teach you about what you need and how excess makes you feel.
Your body wants to teach you about what is unresolved in you and what needs more attention.
Your body wants to teach you about what brings you joy and what makes you anxious.
And how do you learn? You pay attention. Yeah, it's that simple. Listen to the cues. You remember that you are a creation with a body that God made and called GOOD. Your body can be a good teacher.
So I'm wondering this week, how might you carve out some time to pay attention?
XO
Elizabeth
P.S. if you're looking for a great read on faith and body, I'd love to recommend to you This Is My Body: A Memoir of Religious and Romantic Obsession by Cameron Dezen Hammon. Such a great read that I couldn't put down!
