Rediscovering Body & Soul
by Robert Gerzon
In summertime we rediscover our body. After covering our body during the winter months with layers of protective clothing (and a layer of fat) to ward off winter's icy chill, the warmer weather invites us to feel the breeze on our bare skin and to get physical again.
We see diet ads sprout up everywhere like dandelions, activating dormant anxieties about exposing our long-hidden body to other people's' scrutinizing gaze on the beach.
Instead of letting the toxic voice of the media trick us into an abrupt, superficial and anxiety-ridden encounter with our body, we can "get physical" in a deeper way by asking: What kind of relationship do I have with my body? What is the connection between my mind and my body, between my body and my spirit? These are some of the most sacred and profound questions we can ask, because they go to the very heart of what it means to be human.
We are inundated by many competing and contradictory ideas about the meaning of the body. Some religious traditions see the body as a source of sin and temptation and say we should overcome our physical nature. Medical science treats the body as a mechanical vehicle needed for a successful trip through life, and urges us to maintain our vehicle in optimal condition, with high-quality, low cholesterol fuel and regular exercise to keep all the pumps and valves working properly. The media use young attractive bodies as commercial billboards to sell everything from shoes to computers. Hot new biotech companies explore the human body prospecting for genes, hormones and cells that can be owned, patented and marketed for profit. Modern culture glorifies the sleek youthful-looking body as a trophy to display and an advertisement for the hip personality within. Men and women look at each other's bodies with feelings that run the gamut from desire to fear.
But when you're away from all the media messages about your body, when you're alone with your body, sitting quietly with yourself -- what is your relationship with your body? Are you comfortable in your own skin? Is your body an obstacle or an avenue to your spiritual growth?
During my life my relationship to my body has included neglect, abuse, ignorance, pleasure, pain, care, love, anger, appreciation, fear, frustration and fascination. My body is the stage upon which my thoughts and emotions make their appearance. My body is the instrument through which my inner life expresses itself to the world and the channel through which I experience others. My body is a Zen teacher, honest and direct, contradicting mental trickery with a quick jolt in my gut.
On a deeper level, I'm discovering that my body is truly a temple of the spirit. Within this imperfect physical form resides the magnificence of the Divine Soul. There are times when my mind stills, when my breath flows gently and smoothly and I am within myself. Then I sense a mysterious "energy body" that coexists with my flesh-and-bones body. I call it my golden body because it radiates a golden light. I know this golden body is imperishable; it will never rust nor decay. It is eternal because it belongs to the Light.
This is a mysterious world, this subtle realm where matter and spirit meet. Science and religion debate what happens here. Religion teaches that the Heavenly Father (spirit) breathed into a lump of clay and gave it life. Science postulates that the Earthly Mother (matter) produced life and consciousness from inanimate clay.
In the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus invites us to contemplate this mystery: "If the flesh came into being because of the spirit, it is a marvel, but if the spirit came into being because of the body, it is a marvel of marvels."
From my visits to this realm I have observed a divine mutuality as matter and spirit call one another into Being. I experience the Heavenly God and the Earthly Goddess making love in perpetual orgasm, spirit and matter creating Life anew in every moment. This miracle of Life, this mystery of Creation is happening right now. Inside you, inside me. Heaven and Earth are making love and we are the embodiment of their love.
It's summer. Go into your body. You will find your soul waiting there for you.
Find out more about Robert Gerzon’s highly acclaimed book Finding Serenity in the Age of Anxiety.
Find out more about Robert Gerzon’s Counseling and Coaching Services.
Read more articles by Robert Gerzon online at:
http://www.gerzon.com
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