This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn’t mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present?
I don’t know that I have ever not felt that my mind and my body weren’t cohesive. This is kind of an odd question. When I think about it, God never intended for the two to be separate.
My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Paul writes that we are to take care of our bodies because they do not belong to us. We were bought with a price through the blood of Jesus Christ. So when I take care of my own body, I’m glorifying God.
The past few months I’ve done a better job of taking care of my body. I’m not saying that I’ve neglected it in the past. The things I’m doing now help me feel much more healthy than I have in the past.
Stress plays a big role in how I’m feeling. Right now I’m in a situation that doesn’t require high stress. The last few months have had their fill of stress between planning a wedding, getting married, going on furlough, and moving to England. I found that when I had ways to de-stress, I felt a lot better too. If I got exercise or if I had the opportunity to be creative (photography, scrapbooking, or blogging).
My diet plays a role in how I’m feeling, too. Prior to getting married, I’ll admit that I didn’t eat very healthy. I would usually wait until I was too hungry to cook anything and then just throw something cheap, random, and quite often greasy in the microwave. Sometimes I’d get off work in the evening hungry, stop at the supermarket down the road and get a pizza or something to scarf down. Now, I am a bit more organised and have menus planned for my husband and I. I have even given myself the challenge of cooking meals with more vegetables and less meat. It saves money and is far more healthy!
Activity has helped me feel better, too. I have to walk or cycle everywhere in Carlisle. It’s quite nice because I don’t have to get a gym membership to exercise! It’s lovely to get some amount of exercise every day when I walk or cycle. I’ve been encouraged as it gets easier and easier every week to get some place by walking or cycling. And it feels so good!
