The physical body is perhaps the most basic level of human existence. It is with and through the body that life is felt and lived. It is with the body that the emotions can resonate and the world can be sensed. The physical body is of utmost importance to being alive and sensing the world because it is the filter through which each and every person experiences. It is through the skin, the sensory organs, the heart, and all other aspects of this form that we sense and feel the world. Though this is the basic existence of humans, and the apparatus between the world and experiencing the world, it is also the one state that is often ignored or abused. How can the world and life be fully experienced through a damaged or neglected filter?
One of the most valuable tools in the process of consciousness evolution is to begin eating natural and unprocessed foods. The body literally takes food and turns it into cells, blood, organs, and all physical matter. Skin, hair, nails, the heart, the liver; everything is built from food that is ingested. Food literally becomes the tissue that life can flow through, so the more natural the food that is ingested, the more natural the body will be. If toxins are ingested in the form of processed or unnatural foods then the body will be contaminated with these toxins. The result is a body that distorts information from the world through the senses, becoming slow and sluggish, unable to live fully and actively in the world. When a body is nourished with fresh, natural, organic foods, it becomes the perfect filter between the physical world and the inner experiences.
There is also a caution to not overeat, which has become the habit in many countries and is a growing trend around the world. Eating for entertainment, to numb uncomfortable feelings, or to feed a hunger that has nothing to do with food should be avoided. The relationship to food should be a sacred one where it is understood that food is to nourish the body. If certain foods are not nourishing then eating is not about sustenance but about something that is not related to the purpose of food. A closer look at this may be warranted and when a healthy relationship with food develops in the mind, then new food choices are made. We can reflect on our own spiritual advancement by how healthy our relationship is to the very stuff that we become.
Much attention is now being given to water and global sources of water, which is imperative because this is also the very substance that the human body comes to be. Water acts as a carrier of life to the body it is hydrating. More and more people are drinking unnatural substances such as chemically made sodas, juices with foreign agents and additives, and other beverages that are unnatural to the body. These are liquids that cannot replace water. Water in its natural form, with no vitamins, minerals, toxins, or additives is what the body needs. Pure and simple. Giving the body water throughout the day is a consideration for adding to one’s practice of transformation since the better the state of the body, the better transformation can occur.
Another feature of evolution is the need to greatly limit or eliminate alcohol. Alcohol changes sensations and perceptions so they become distorted. By decreasing the amount of alcohol ingested, the senses become more acute, so a natural inclination is to decrease the ingestion of alcohol which allows for a clearer experience of the world at all times. Though small amounts may still be desired or even desirable, the move away from large amounts of alcohol seems to be a natural process. The body may begin responding in a negative manner with illness or pain, even to minute amounts of alcohol, which is a sign that this substance is not wanted or tolerated by the changing body.
The same can be said for illicit drugs, which when removed from the human experience, leave a more natural relationship between the body and the world. It is often argued that drugs can enhance the spiritual experience, especially beyond the five senses, and though this may be true, the deleterious effects far outweigh any benefits that drugs may have. Drugs may be a fast-tracking way to experience spiritual awareness which will only occur in a temporary fashion, and dissipates once the drug loses its effect. The deleterious effects must be seriously considered and they often out-weigh the fact that we cannot replace the moment by moment experience of a committed spiritual practice with anything but our own effort.
An exception to this may be plant medicines used throughout the world to aid in experiencing spiritual realms. These are not however, street drugs, but are shamanic medicines that are used with the assistance and guidance of ancient wisdom. The shaman is trained in understanding what occurs with the medicine and can guide the experiencer to a purposeful life through the experiences. This is in far contrast to street drugs that are made from some unknown origin that carry the energy of deceit, dishonesty, and greed.
Prescription and over the counter drugs should also be ingested with caution since they too alter the human experience away from its natural state. There is a growing dependence on these unnatural substances, as they are often administered in childhood and become the normal pattern into adulthood. The body moves farther and farther away from its original state when foreign chemicals are ingested. Of course there are times when these are necessary for survival or comfort, but using them judicially is wise in order to keep the body as clean a filter as possible. Balance is the objective. Keeping in mind that the body is to be respected and honoured is a great reminder of what it needs.
Excerpt from the book Living Beyond the Five Senses: Emergence of a Spiritual Being(Divine Arts) by Teresa L. DeCicco PhD
Replies