"Treat your body like a temple, not a woodshed. The mind and the body work together. Your body needs to be a good support system
for the mind and the spirit. If you take
good care of it, your body can take you wherever you want to go, with the power
and the strength and energy and vitality you will need to get there." ~ Jim Rohn
Exercise the body is one of the thirteen goals of a
Witch, along with breathe, meditate and eat correctly. This is a difficult goal for many people but it is an
important one. Our bodies are wondrous
things that the God and Goddess have blessed us with. We should respect the bodies we have been
given and keep them in shape. A healthy
body feels better both physically and emotionally. We also live longer and are less encumbered
during mundane activities and magical ones as well. To exercise the body is to honor the Divine
Friends.
Our words health, whole and holy are all derived from the
Anglo-Saxon word root 'hal'. "Healing" is derived from the same
word root and means to restore to a state of wholeness, soundness, or
integrity. "Holy" comes from the
same root and signifies wholeness and purity of mind and spirit. Taken in its fullness of meaning, therefore,
"health" has come to mean completeness and perfection of
organization, fitness of life, freedom of action, harmony of functions, vigor
and freedom from all stain and unholy corruption. In a phrase, "health" is a sound
mind and spirit in a sound body.
Although
the popular image of the people of the Nordic Age is one of wild-haired, dirty
savages, this is a false perception. In
reality, the Vikings took care with their personal grooming, bathing and
hairstyling. Perhaps the most
telling comment comes from the pen of English cleric John of
Wallingford, who complained bitterly that the Viking men combed their hair,
took a bath on
Saturday and changed their woolen garments frequently; and that they performed
these un-Christian and heathen acts in an attempt to seduce women.
The
Vikings bathed their hands and faces on at least a daily basis, usually in the
morning upon arising. The writings in
the Havamal also suggests that hand-washing was customary before meals
as well.
What
if your duty was to take care of a temple, its ground and interior? Undoubtedly, you would do so with utmost
sincerity. You would
sweep daily the walkway of leaves and debris.
The lawn would be freshly mowed, flowers deadheaded, shrubs modestly
trimmed; you'd re-plaster the outside
and occasionally repaint the sides and trim.
Inside you would dust the alter, wash the windows, vacuum or sweep the
floor and tidy the seats. Perhaps you
would keep a candle burning and light some incense.
Even if you are not a religious person, it is
helpful to consider your body an important structure, it is indeed the
foundation on which your good health and well-being is based. Replace the word temple with shrine, palace, sanctuary,
hof, amusement park, home or any word you are comfortable with and would care
for.
You would accept these duties with reverence and
honor. Indian Sanskrit has a wonderful
word for temple - mandir. Take a moment
and look in a mirror. What do you
see? Has it ever occurred to you that
the person you see in that mirror is the only one responsible for your
life? This is a silly but profound
thought - you're a sacred place, a worthy being, a divine sanctuary for your
soul.
Your body is merely a sacred temple with legs. Vietnamese Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh says
that it is most important to take refuge in yourself. It is not necessary to be religious here,
simply practical. He suggests:
"When you transform yourself into a comfortable hermitage, with air, light
and order inside, you begin to feel peace, joy and happiness and you begin to
be someone others can rely on."
When you look at yourself in the mirror, do you see the light of
divinity shine through the cells or your bodily temple? Or are the windows of your soul boarded up with
sadness, guilt, stress and discomfort?
Inhale deeply.
Do you feel the purified air of hope, love, compassion, gratitude and
joy pour through the aisles of your heart.
Or are you choked with helplessness, despair or a preoccupation with survival
or money issues? And now, look at your
face very closely. How much does it
reflect your mental state - do you look calm, serene, happy, at peace or does
your face show lines of world - weariness, worry, emptiness, tension or
grief? Ask others that you trust what
they see in your face.
None of this means that you should strive for a
perfect body temple. Impossible!
Simple devotion to maintenance is better. Then your temple will withstand the tests of
the world and be a model by which others may be inspired. So, one aspect of embracing your sacredness
is to take care of your physical sense of well-being. You should be well informed and motivated to
engage in your wellness and have good forms of exercise for your body's age and
ability. You should have a comfortable bed in which you can get enough rest and sleep. Wellness should also feel healthy and vibrant, the result of daily taking in pure water, clean fresh air and sunshine. And you should be the source of diet, where you demonstrate a degree of commitment to eat nutritionally, using natural and wholesome foods consistent with your age, body and spiritual path.
Use the element fire to call to action your body
temple. To feel the manifestations of
this power, go out on sunny day and feel the warmth and light of the Sun, hear the crackling of logs and
smell of smoke from a burning fire. As
you gaze into the transformational flame of a candle, immerse yourself in the
energy of fire.
1.
Never skip on sleep
2.
Don't smoke
3.
Go easy on alcohol
4.
Drink plenty of water
5.
Choose organic or locally grown
produce
6.
Exercise often
7.
Stay on top of regular health
screens and checks
8.
Keep yourself clean and trim
9.
Schedule regular 'me time' to de-stress
and regroup
10.
Dress your best by only wearing
clothes that help you feel wonderful
These are just a handful of ways to treat your body
like a temple. Remember, consider your
discipline as a down-payment on a healthy and active life down the line as well
as in this moment.
As I imagine fire element all around me and within me,
I picture a cleansing, transmutation and nitrification of all things
back to their elemental purity.
I picture this on the surface of your being and on your interior.
I feel what that feels like as part of me – my body purified and regenerated.
I picture a cleansing, transmutation and nitrification of all things
back to their elemental purity.
I picture this on the surface of your being and on your interior.
I feel what that feels like as part of me – my body purified and regenerated.
Excerpts from forthcoming book:
Islands of Grace: Creating Sanctuary in Daily Life. By Dr.
Christopher Forrest McDowell and
Tricia Clark-McDowell
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