Well, I have been having a most interesting experience the last three weeks. My shoulders have been in quite a bit of pain. At first....I thought it was that one night I spent an hour reading in bed (yeah...a no-no for posture.) Next morning--wow was my left shoulder torqued! Things like that usually wear off over the day. Next morning--after a bad night's sleep--still problematic. Got some bodywork done...still hurting. Hmmm. What could this be?
It has slowly been dawning on me that this new discomfort might just be growing pains. WHAT? You say to yourself...doesn't that stop in early adulthood? Well--I thought so too. However, the fact is over our lifespan, our body changes in relation to the tasks we engage in. So, as I reflected on my past weeks, I realized I have been doing more bodywork sessions than when I first started (good news) but I didn't expect my musculature to be so effected. WRONG! It is! I have found my upper arm strength increasing, my hand grip strength is now crazy strong, and my shoulders are broadening (hence the pain).
My posture is changing too. I used to stand out of habit at times with my arms crossed. Can't do that anymore for longer than 5 minutes or my shoulders hurt. What is so interesting to me about this is about 5 months ago I began to pray that God would open me up to become a more loving, caring, non-judgmental presence to all those around me. (For those who have studied eastern modalities of bodywork/energy work, it is regarding the heart chakra). Well, it is happening. I just didn't think it all through to the logical embodied result. My posture is actually opening up to others. Wow. Be warned! Be careful what you pray for....God just might answer it! Be ready to embrace your growing pains!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Friday, December 14, 2012
The Body, Advent, and Incarnation
Of course, I had to write another Advent reflection, because I came across something really cool in Agnes Sanford's* The Healing Light last week. She writes this (in 1947 no less!):
"Most people are ashamed today to offer themselves to God, both soul and body. They feel he has no use for their bodies, forgetting the infinite pains that He took to incarnate himself within the veil of flesh so that he might from that time forth enter into all of humanity. Many people of today are unwilling to recognize the operation of a spiritual power through the being (body) of man...." p.82
I don't think we have a full understanding of what it means for our whole person, BODY, soul, and spirit--to be filled with the power of God. I think if we did, it might literally blow our circuits--or at least our socks off! But in this short excerpt, Agnes is suggesting that indeed we can know what it is like to experience God's presence in our body--not just our mind and spirit. This whole experience of God is what the mystics talk about--experiencing God--not just knowing him with our mind/beliefs/creeds, but actually have God's Spirit so fill us, that it registers in our body. We FEEL his presence--and in fact, when God' power flows through us, it often results in healing--the body being restored to wholeness. This is part of the redemption of our body, brought about by the fact of Christ Jesus coming in the flesh--the Incarnation.
A Blessed Advent Indeed.
*For those of you who have never heard of Agnes, she was a fascinating woman who had the gift of healing. She was born in China, the daughter of missionary parents, who later in life came to the United States, and married an Anglican priest.
"Most people are ashamed today to offer themselves to God, both soul and body. They feel he has no use for their bodies, forgetting the infinite pains that He took to incarnate himself within the veil of flesh so that he might from that time forth enter into all of humanity. Many people of today are unwilling to recognize the operation of a spiritual power through the being (body) of man...." p.82
I don't think we have a full understanding of what it means for our whole person, BODY, soul, and spirit--to be filled with the power of God. I think if we did, it might literally blow our circuits--or at least our socks off! But in this short excerpt, Agnes is suggesting that indeed we can know what it is like to experience God's presence in our body--not just our mind and spirit. This whole experience of God is what the mystics talk about--experiencing God--not just knowing him with our mind/beliefs/creeds, but actually have God's Spirit so fill us, that it registers in our body. We FEEL his presence--and in fact, when God' power flows through us, it often results in healing--the body being restored to wholeness. This is part of the redemption of our body, brought about by the fact of Christ Jesus coming in the flesh--the Incarnation.
A Blessed Advent Indeed.
*For those of you who have never heard of Agnes, she was a fascinating woman who had the gift of healing. She was born in China, the daughter of missionary parents, who later in life came to the United States, and married an Anglican priest.
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