Several weeks ago, back in week 2 of the Sacred and Fit program, I introduced the Lectio Divina and also
provided a link to the website of Jill Bolte Taylor, (insert), the neuroscientist
who suffered a stroke on the left side of her brain. If you haven’t watched the
video, now may be a good time as I revisit the topic of left or right brain
dominance. You can even take a
test to find out which side of your brain you depend on the most for
information.
Knowing how you process information is
important as you further develop your spiritual practice. As I pray for balance
it become clear that just as I need a balanced diet of physical food, I also
need a balanced diet of spiritual food. Left brain activities such as reading,
looking up word definitions, taking notes, listening to people talk, talking
and discussing are all dependent on WORDS. This in my view, does not lead to a balanced spiritual
life. One reason for that is because
words can’t possibly communicate the entirety of what and who God is. A
spiritual life or a spirit-led life, by definition, is to live more
intuitively. There will some things that you will understand because of the way
they make you FEEL. A balanced spiritual life attends to both words and
feelings.
If you examine the life of Jesus the Christ,
you will see this balance clearly.
We know from the Gospels that he was well trained in the Hebrew Scriptures,
even as a boy. However, we also get a glimpse into his adult spiritual
practices of fasting, daily early morning prayer and listening to an inner
voice. In fact he was led and directed by that voice. The Gospels clearly
reveal that the disciples did not consider many of his actions, logical or
rational. However those spirit-led acts were necessary for the purpose of his
life to be accomplished.
The four parts of Lectio Divina represent a
balanced method of studying scripture in that both sides of the brain are given
assignments. The left brain is given activity: choosing a verse, and creating a
prayer from the verse. The right brain is charged with meditating on the verse
and then contemplating the verse thus allowing a new personal revelation to
occur. It is the new personal
revelation that is needed for a life’s purpose to be realized. A personal purpose requires a personal revelation.
This week’s Beatitude has brought me to a
place of seeking balance and purpose on a deeper level. I used the WORD to learn what I was
truly FEELing. I learned that I am completely unable to grant mercy, grace and
compassion to others by telling myself that I should be merciful. To actually BE
merciful is the destination as well as the journey. I will continue to grow in these
qualities by choosing, meditating upon, praying about and listening from each Beatitude.
I have also learned that I am completely
unable to grant mercy, grace and compassion to others if I am not granting
mercy, grace and compassion to myself.
If there was any area of my life where I speak to myself in
ways that DO NOT demonstrate mercy, grace and compassion it is in relation to
my own body. When I despise my own
thighs- when I spend untold hours (if I added up all of the moments) of
negative self talk- When my constant judging, assessing and comparing my body
contributes to my heighted level of stress- when my weight makes me unhappy-
how can I truly be a witness of the love of God to the world? Jesus the Christ said, “Love your
neighbor AS YOU LOVE YOURSELF” or
in my translation-….as I love my thighs….as I love my hips,……. as I love my stomach, love handles,
rolls, muffin tops,…as I love my butt…. as I love my arms,….. as I love my
breasts…., as I love my body; I will love myself.
And when you love something, you will take
care of it.
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On the notebook sheet that contains all of
your reasons for wanting to be thin, see if you included “loving my body” as a
reason. Just notice if it was missing or present but don't you dare stress if it was missing!
Take a look at the notebook sheet (the first
assignment) where you wrote about the relationship between your body and your
salvation experience. Do you have
any new insights as to how the care of your body (and your thinking about food,
water, weight and exercise) can be more closely linked to your relationship
with Jesus the Christ?
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