Pathwalking 76
Pathwalking is about more than just the mind and spirit. The body cannot be ignored.
Throughout this process I have explored ways of thinking, ways of feeling, ways of acting and being. But it is not just a mental, emotional and psychological discipline…Pathwalking also has a physical aspect that can easily be neglected.
For some exercising the body is easy. For others, the spirit moves readily. And for still others, it’s the mind that gets the greatest workout. And while one aspect may dominate, the others are seldom completely neglected. The first parts of choosing to Pathwalk are mental and emotional, but you cannot ignore the physical, too.
The idea of mind, body and spirit as oneness finds expression in holistic practices, Yoga, religion, philosophy…across all kinds of disciplines and ideologies. More readily found in Eastern philosophies, the concept is still expressed across the world under different names and explanations. But these three notions make up the single soul of you, of me…of everyone, however we express that.
When I began to explore the idea of Pathwalking, it was almost wholly focused on the mind and spirit. I wanted to feel more readily, to think more clearly, and to tie these together. All my life I have sought such, and let my body get less attention, less focus. My body is not neglected or ignored …but my body temple could use some renovations.
I, like many people I know, have struggled all my life with my body image, my size, weight, and BMI. I have cycled up and down, losing, gaining, losing and gaining weight and mass again and again. I have obsessed about my diet, obsessed about exercise. I’ve done many different things, and for every success in tackling this issue there has been at least one if not two failures.
In what way does this tie to Pathwalking? The oneness of the soul is the intricate connection of the mind, BODY and spirit. I’ve spent a year and a half now exploring various aspects of the mind and spirit in Pathwalking, but the time has come to give attention to the body.
“To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” – Buddha
I am beginning to chart a new course as I walk my path, working to strengthen and improve the body temple. The container of my mind and spirit needs to be attended to. To continue on this path, to improve upon the work I have been doing for the mind and spirit, I will give the body greater attention.
I am still working this aspect of Pathwalking out in my own head. But I believe that to take it to the next level, to truly make my life as I would want it, I have to care better for my body. All of us come to this from different places.
Some, I have no doubt, already treat the body temple with all the love and respect it deserves. But I need to improve this, and this is how I will be approaching it. Much of this I am already striving to do…now I will be sharing it.
I am exploring four aspects to focus on in order to better treat my body in regards to Pathwalking. These are Diet, Exercise, Meditation and Sleep.
To truly care for the body temple, we need to have balance. I have been writing about the mind and spirit connection in this regard all along, but the body is equally important in this equation. It is important to remember that to really be one with the self, which I think is an overall goal of Pathwalking, I have to give proper respect not just to the mind and spirit, but also the body.
Next week I will focus on Diet, Exercise, Meditation and Sleep, and their importance to the body and overall to the notion of Pathwalking. We have been working all along on control over our emotions and thoughts as we choose the path of our lives, but to give this even more power and focus, the body will also be given its due.
How do you treat your body temple?
This is the seventy-sixth entry in my series. These weekly posts are specifically about walking along the path of life, and my desire to make a difference in this world along the way. Thank you for joining me.
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