Growing the soul through the body

I have been one who often neglects her body. Not intentionally, generally. I just get so preoccupied with my mind that I almost sometimes just plain forget that there is even a body there carrying my very busy head around all day.

But about 3 and a half years ago I started going to the gym- for the third time I might add. What was different the third time around though was my primary objective was not to tone up and lose weight. Those things would have been nice of course since I was still carrying around baby weight 2 years after my son's birth. No, but this time my objective was to feel stronger. A deep penetrating strength that might start on the outside but then work it's way instinctively to the inside.

At the time, I felt I needed more strength to step back from some relationships that were not healthy for me, but that I still couldn't seem to let go of. I knew I needed more strength to make that change in my life. And it turned out to be physical strength, not mental or emotional, that allowed me the wherewithal to set real limits with these individuals for the very first time in my life. An absolute first for me.

I was recently reminded of this moment when I actually took my mind off my mind (aka myself) for long enough to read this:

"Try to make your muscles do for you what your mind won't."

These are the words of Joan Erikson, wife of Erik Erikson, the famous 20th century psychological theorist who gave us the stages of maturation and development.

She was quoted in the book I'm reading, "A walk on the Beach" by Joan Anderson. And I'm learning Ms. Erikson was the quintessential (more) brilliant woman behind the man, an official unofficial wise woman to be sure.

In the book she is quoted several times with words that have caused me to take a mindful pause. But I think the words above grabbed my attention because I am new to recognize how awareness of my body can shape and reshape my mind, and in turn my soul. And even in the moments i remember to remember my body, I forget again about five minutes later.

Yet, it's important, the body, critical important. And I don't mean from a heart pumping, blood circulating standpoint.  The body is a way in. A back door. When the mind won't budge. And the emotions a running amok, the body may be your best ally. A part of me that will actually shift and move and turn and back bend the way I ask it to.  Because, god knows, as I am reminded in meditation nearly every day, my mind certainly doesn't listen to me most of the time. And my emotions can feel like an underground geyser that you never know when it will surge out of the ground.

So I am going to try to rely less heavily  on my already over-taxed mind and my unpredictable emotions for matters of growing and expanding my soul-base. And instead I am going to lean in to my body. Let my body, instead of my mind, do some of the heavy lifting for a while.