We strengthen the body to still the mind -- and we still the mind so as to free the spirit. The power of this intention is often lost in the pseudo-spiritual gesturing that has regrettably become the hallmark of ‘New Age' teaching. What it really boils down to is be the best you can be with the resources that you have available to you because what you have available to you heralds its own sort of perfection.
The body is the only house that we ever truly own, and, even then, it is something of a rental. It is vitally important that we care for this house in the same manner that we attend to the not-so-necessary "necessary objects" of our daily lives. Rather than letting the body sit around and get flabby, fill it with poisons or drive it mercilessly away from rest, taking the time to invest in this fragile vessel provides us with a tangible vehicle to do the work of mind, soul and spirit.
Investing in ourselves means investing in a lifestyle, and developing a personal culture that thrives on holistic health and wellness. That investment will look different for each of us, and the degree of diversification in that investment will depend on the resources, in this case physical resources, that we can muster.
Some of us may lift weights, while others jog or row. Some practice Yoga, Tai Chi or the martial arts. We may swim, walk or climb mountains. The point is that we do something, and we do a something with which we connect on a very primal level.
Attention to the physical component of the "body-mind-soul-spirit" continuum is essential for wholistic human development and the realization of our potential. It is through this that we build a bridge from our exterior world of experience into our interior life and landscape.
Each of us has a complex of dormant archetypes or templates that have the potential, when activated, to inform who we are and how we operate in the world. It is in choosing this path of personal culture that we can activate the Warrior archetype. Without activating the Warrior through a physical practice of some sort, we will not develop the internal temerity to get things done. Just as the Alchemist is our creative and transformational template, the Lover our template for social interaction and the King/Queen the template for our divine nature, the Warrior is our doer. So, go do something.
Once we have satisfied the demands of the body principle, our task becomes a matter of ‘taming the wild horses of the mind', which we will consider next...
© 2008 Michael J. Formica, All Rights Reserved
Movement and the Mind Vs Stillness and the Mind
Do you feel that exercize is the more modern form of meditation for today's people? For the fact that the whole world seems to be in a rush, (when we cut people off while driving, use self check out at the market, race to work on a rainy day, take on multiple projects, etc).
And do you feel that combining movement and the mind, clears your head? Organizes? Or both?
I guess I'm asking (while I know each individual is different) if one of the forms of self improvement is more beneficial than the other? Stillness VS movement.
Sitting quietly with (or without) music, taking 20 minutes a day to just 'be'. Or to get on your bicycle and pedal until you drop?
How does the mind work differently with these two extremes? Or do you feel that it really is ultimately dependent on the personality type? Or could this just be a way to work the aggression out of the body to prepare for stillness?
Dear Lucy: These are all
Dear Lucy:
These are all good questions, but to answer your first question, no. Movement and stillness are separate from one another. Although some practices -- like Yoga asana, Tai Chi Ch'uan, etc. -- have been positioned as "moving medition", those practices are, in fact, vehicles for preparing the body for sitting medititation.
As to your second question, all mindful practices should be done with intention. Will that bring clarity of thought and action?...yes.
Your third question does not have an answer because the two are mutually exclusive. While stillness and movement may work in combination, neither is preferential over the other...they serve different purposes.
Aggression is a feeling, which is driven by an emotion...anxiety. Excising aggression is necessary to approach stillness, but that does not need to be done through physical movement. In fact, in terms of Yoga and Kung Fu, aggression will actually disrupt the practice.
I appreciate the response,
I appreciate the response, as all form of meditation is new to me and I'm only beginning to explore this new venue now.
Much food for thought. Thanks.
Post new comment