The “Body of Christ” is what got me into massage and yoga. People often ask me – what got you into massage? The short answer is God! I love the miracle of the body so much that I want to take care of it, to always appreciate it. To constantly marvel at it’s brilliance and beauty. To study it. to learn from it. To help it. As well, I also noticed that people who don’t honor the body can hurt other bodies. So by helping people to be in touch with their bodies, I am making a stand for what I most value. I noticed that if people live in their heads – full of beliefs, and are not so much living in their body and present moment felt experience of life, then there is a proclivity toward harming another or even oneself – in thoughts or deed. In other words, I hold a strong belief and witness to my highly coveted value of “do no harm”, which to me is paramount in life, and relies on being grounded and embodied in oneself, yet having an open mind. A person can believe what ever they want to and it is important to explore different beliefs and examine ones own from time to time. Yet when it comes to another person, the line is drawn that you can not harm another person – in words or deed. To me, this is a cultural component that we all hopefully agree on and work towards achieving and safeguarding. Sometimes people even need to be reminded of it and the importance of “do no harm”, particularly in order to prevent people from falling through the cracks and hurting others. I think this perspective was formulated in me specifically in response to how some people in the name of religion have hurt others and further, how some people use that fact that religions have hurt others in the name of God as a reason and justification as to why they don’t believe in God or get involved with any organized religion. Yet as we all know, any culture, any organization, any family, is a mixed bag; and people do make mistakes and then unfortunately justify them by continuing to make them – ugh! But we have a choice and have the God given ability and grace to learn.
In kindergarten, I learned that people who are “bad” or acted disruptively can ruin it for the rest of us. I clearly remember privileges of time on the playground or even the ability to keep ones head up being taken away because one or two students misbehaved and put the teacher in a bad mood – telling us all to put our heads down on the desk so she could get some peace and quiet. I liken this to our adult culture. We all need to keep our heads up and remember who we are and what we stand for. This is no dress rehearsal and unlike kindergarten or grade school or even high school, as grown adults we have the creative currency of authority to shape the culture and experiences we want. This is truly a gift that we must use wisely!! What authority do you have you might ask – well, you have the authority given to you by God. God the almighty. Creative currency is given to you and each of us by God, and you receive more currency the more you work to benefit all. This has been my experience. Check it out for yourself if you haven’t already. Further, I believe it is possible, and actually imperative to always be mindful of this creative precious gift; and to think of God and my connection to God – purpose and guidance – all of the time. Not that I do this. Fear gets in the way sometimes or distraction or confusion. BUT, it IS possible and there are many moments where I do this, certainly while giving massage. But what does thinking about God and our unique connection to God look like? Well, for one, our words are creative and have an effect – both what we think of ourselves and how we speak about ourselves and how we speak about, and to others. Speaking towards empowerment, encouragement, and specific goals aligns with God or the body of living Christ amongst and within us and between us. To me, God’s words are not just spoken in church or sacred text. God’s words are creative and spoken through our heart felt of life experience and are creative, extending and connecting the “body of Christ” which creates a culture in which we life. So let’s be mindful about what sort of culture we are creating. Each of us is here for a purpose with the authority of God to do good and shape the culture we want. So enjoy!
But – What culture do we want?
Each person needs to answer this for themselves. Examine your beliefs and see which ones are operating and ask yourself – do they match up to what you really want in your true hearts desire?
For me, the culture I want and stand for and aim to cultivate is a CULTURE OF KINDNESS. I believe this culture of kindness and mutual respect, is within our reach, as it is always the truth of any given moment, and what is truly happening. Anything else, I believe is a lie, a distraction, an aversion, a sin perhaps. I stand by “It’s all of us or none of us.” This is one reason I love what I do – teaching and practicing yoga and giving massage as a personal business – a means by which my gifts, interests and values are given to the world, to benefit it. Yoga means “unite” and Namaste means “the divine light in me sees and honors the diving light in you”. The light bows to the “other’s” light. Bow? – what does that mean? Yield! Yield, or allow the God and brilliance in others to come out, as well as in you. Don’t control in other words:-) Let’s the spirit breath. Yield to God. Yield to others. Yield to your true hearts desire. Take your time, be embodied and watch and see the brilliance of the “body of Christ” unfold, through and within your life. This body, or moment of life unfolding, is new, it’s fresh, it’s healthy. It is my belief, and I think we will find as a culture, that this is a characteristic of positive mental health as an individual and a matter of public health as a culture. The mindfulness word that is so popular and accurately described these days points to it. Mindfulness means all. Allowing all. Yet we do respond. And how do we respond? With kindness.
Here’s to the body of Christ within all of us. That mindfulness moment.
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