Movement: Connecting with Body, Mind, and Spirit
There is plenty of information on the human Body and physicality and much on the consciousness and the neurological of the Mind . Writings on the Spirit, faith, belief and religion go back thousands of years. How these distinct, yet interrelated dimensions of the human person, influence each other and begin to create a whole and healthy human is a source of great wonder. The movement and change of the Body, Mind and Spirit across time is also a source of great wonder.
Observing a Changing Body
Some time ago I was walking behind an elderly man and became aware of his slow shuffle as he walked. I began to wonder why he didn’t lift his feet as he walked. After a time of watching him, I became aware of my own way of walking. I didn’t quite shuffle, but I didn’t lift my feet as much as I did as a younger person. There are obvious physical reasons for this; loss of muscle strength; fear of tripping or falling; loss of balance and other issues that come with aging and illness.
To get more information I consulted the source of all contemporary wisdom, Professor Google! Most of the information focused on the physical, which is reasonable. Yet I wondered if, as for the elderly man, it was more than just physical deterioration. My interest now and for some years is how the distinct, yet interrelated dimensions of body, mind, and spirit of the human person, influence each other and begin to create a whole and healthy human being.
Living – moving, stuck, or regressing
In the 1980s, one of my teachers was Professor Ed O’Sullivan (an easy name to remember) who was fond of saying, “We are not mature, we are maturing. We have not arrived, we are arriving.” His philosophy was simple, we are beings who are in process. We are all moving toward ways of living. Of course, this is a hopeful view of life. However, observation reveals that we also can be stuck or static on this journey. Sadly, through pain, suffering, or a broken heart, we can regress.
Ed was a creative teacher and could weave together life experiences with academic rigor. I think that Professor Ed gave me the conviction that life is about movement and that our movement in life must be within the Body, the Mind, and the Spirit. A conviction that I continue to explore, consider, and contemplate.
What is Body, Mind, and Spirit?
I start with what I don’t mean by Body, Mind, and Spirit. Body is not about dieting, perfect body size, shape, image or cultural stereotype. It does have to do with health and aspects of movement. It is our physical appearance, internal rhythms, and the most visible part of us!
Mind is not primarily intellectualism or just cleverness. Nor is it only the brain. Simply, the mind is about perception. It is the seat of our reflection, identity, thought, consciousness, and reason. Mind is beyond the brain as a human organ. As the old song goes, “You can’t have one without the other!
Spirit does not need to be ethereal, other-worldly, or supernatural. Spirit can be both positive and negative. It incorporates love and hate; trust and mistrust. But most importantly it is a belief in something beyond the self; connection with the other. A striving for meaning and hopefulness, and the capacity to identify the sacred in both the religious and the profane (not religious).
So, the human being is a combination of bones, muscles, blood, organs, and skin. It is also where a person feels emotions, joy, happiness, fear, anger, and pain. With a deep sense of meaning, purpose, hope, faith, wonder, and love, within the life force.
Letting Go of An Historic View
Advances in knowledge of the human body have led the way to begin to let go of the denigration of the body as expressed in Historical Theology. What I mean by this, is that we have begun to appreciate the wonder and complexity of the body, rather than the emphasis on sin and corruption.
This has opened the way for modern thought to move from the static, inert view of the world to a dynamic, progressive understanding. Within this view, human life is a process of continual change. And an inter-relatedness to all things. The poet Wallace Stevens says, “Nothing is itself taken alone. Things are because of interrelations and interconnections.” Or the remarkable quote by John Muir the founder of Yosemite National Park, “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.” This encourages us to recognize that Body, Mind, and Spirit, while independent by definition are nevertheless a single un-dividable entity in the human person.
Is the Mind the Boss?
It is often presented that the Mind/brain dominates the Body and in part that is true. One part of the three can move the other two. However, mind over matter does not always work. The body has its own wisdom.[2]. It is the body that alerts us through a range of sensations including discomfort and pain. While the Spirit can motivate the Body through discomfort and pain, giving hope amid disappointment, disaster, and despair. Just as the old man, I observed walking, keeps on with his daily living.
The Significance of Change and Movement
Change and movement in life are significant when we are willing to accept them. The human body is intended to move. Otherwise, it will atrophy. There are debilitating diseases, aging, and confinements that can inhibit this movement. Nevertheless, the willingness to physically move can be motivated by one’s Spirit. Likewise, mental health demands that from time to time we change our mind, beliefs, values, and opinions. In a recent lecture by the Rev. Dr. Greg Jenks, he suggested that in every religious epoch, the Christian faith must respond in language, culture, and movements appropriate to that era (my words.)
In our modern world, movement, change, and psychic growth are essential to motivate us toward a hopeful future. We can let go of some aspects of Historical Theology., such as the denigration of the body, and appreciate the body’s complexity instead. Through progressive Christian thought, the world/universe can be imaged as God’s infinite body. And holistic religious imagination seems to be on the rise. Hopefully, the wall between the sacred and the profane is slowly collapsing. The domination of Mind/brain can embrace the intelligence of the Body and the wisdom of Spirit.
[2] Body wisdom refers to the profound knowledge and insights that originate from within our physical selves. It goes beyond the cognitive mind and taps into the wisdom that resides in every cell, tissue, and organ. This intelligence communicates through sensations, emotions, and intuitive nudges, offering guidance and alerting us to our needs. From “The Soul Coach Embracing Body Wisdom: The Art of Listening to Your Inner Guide. Aug 6, 2023.”
More exploration with from Rev Dr Christopher Page