XI: Exercise the Body
Right in line with yesterday's discussion of breathing and eating correctly, we come to exercise. To reiterate the point made before, spirit, mind and body are not a heirarchy.
It's not:
It's not even:
What it is, is:
They are ALL important, and if any one of them are not functioning then it puts you at a disadvantage because it interferes with the other two.
A lot of Pagans these days (and people in general) will put spirit first. Nothing is more important than your spirit, your spirituality, etc. They might put mind second-- cerebral activities, like studying and memorizing and long discussions and such, are seen as important as well. But those same people who would give good arguments on why you need to nurture your spirit and mind might just let the body go. This is a mistake, one that can bring regret.
Remember, balance is key. That includes the physical as well as the spiritual.
My Tip for You Today: If you have not been paying attention to your body, begin doing so.
I'm the first one to understand if you're out of shape or ill and can't jump into some kind of exercise regime (believe me, I know, I have an autoimmune disease that put me in a wheelchair for a year and a half, just stopped needing it a couple of months ago).
But the goal is not to become a fitness guru; it's about paying attention to your body's needs and doing what you can to help you find that balance. If all you can do is a little light stretching or brief 5-minute walks, then try doing them.
The easy road of course would be to just ignore your body's needs to move when you are too busy or dealing with illness and injury. But is that really balanced? I wouldn't say so.
Know your limits, while also being honest with yourself about what you can do. Be realistic, but try to bring yourself into that balance, even if you can only make small efforts.
What's your favorite type of
exercise?
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