Transcending the Physical Body
Introduction
Matthew 7: 7-8 says:
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened."
The breath
The human body is made up of cells, the basic fundamental unit of human life. These cells come together to create the tissues that make up our various organ systems that facilitate all essential bodily functions. For instance breathing, an involuntary action that we do without conscious awareness or attention, is essential for life. We breathe without conscious awareness or attention. When we bring our awareness to our breath, we can disrupt its natural flow or we can sooth involuntary reactions brought upon by stress, anxiety, and fear. The breath is so important because it can soothe the physical responses causes by negative internal emotional states such as fear, axiety, or impatience. When we feel fear we get goosebumps, our voice increases in pitch, our eyesight sharpens. When we feel anxiety, we may fidget, or be consumed by the overpowering effects of a panic attack in extreme cases. When we are confident, the voice deepens, and we stand more erect. In all cases, what happens is the rhythm of the breath changes patterns. If we can learn to control this pace of breath in moments when our mind has responded to its environment in irrational ways, we can exert our will on the subconscious faculty of our thinking and our mind. Through meditation and prayer, we can feel peace of heart and mind, slowing down rapid thoughts, and instead of identifying with the thoughts that cause anxiety, stress, and fear, we separate the mind from the soul and watch as the the observer of all manners of behavior.
The mind
The law of Correspondence is a universal law: as above so below, as within so without. This law elludes to the idea that the things we feed our bodies reflects back physically, mentally and spiritually. Who we are at the center can only be concealed for so long. The true self will shine in beauty or project itself in destructive ways. We have a responsibility to pay close attention to what we feed ourselves. This includes, though not limited to: food, media, music, and sports. For instance, Music feeds the mind's subconscious messages. We enjoy music because it speaks to the tumultuous waters of our soul harmonizing with the good emotions or resonating with unwanted emotions like sadness, and anger or trauma. There’s a story of a king tormented by chronic anxiety. Yet, whenever David, his trusted confidant, played the soothing melodies of the harp, the king’s heart filled with peace and love.The messages within contemporary music, most pervasive in popular culture, are far from messages conducive to harmonizing and liberating the soul. Music can be used as a tool of subconcious mind control, weaponized against target audiences.
The food we eat can also either be healing or damaging to our body. We should look to avoid processed foods that cause inflammation, oxidation, and increased risk for chronic illness and obesity. The body is a holy temple and we are only given one body to have a human experience here on Earth. The food industries look for ways to increase revenue. This motivation to drive more business is the motive behind big food corporations investing on research on chemical compounds that hijack the neurological functions of the human brain. For example, Chick Fil A is involved in a lawsuit for having over 20 ingredients in a Chick Fil A chicken patty. Last time I checked, the only ingredient in chicken should be Chicken.
Sugar is found naturally in the form of fructose,glucose, lactose, maltose, and sucrose. Our taste buds taste the sweetness of these sugars motivating us to consume more of it due to its quickly absorbing energy effects. Sugar has been extracted in a lab, and added into foods to increase sales and make food not just taste better but become Irresistible. In a natural environment, sugar isn’t found in high quantities. Consuming it leads to a sharp insulin spike and dopamine excitation, creating a surge of energy and pleasure that our bodies rarely encounter naturally. This intensity can drive us to crave more, as it mimics reward responses typically reserved for essential survival behaviors. You don’t consider it an addiction because it isn't heroin, cocaine, or ecstasy, though it works the same way. Rapid spikes in glucose can cause Diabetes.
Here are a few some points:
Approximately 73.6% of American adults aged 20 and older are classified as overweight or obese
Many ingredients used in American foods are banned in other countries due to health concerns. For example, brominated vegetable oil, found in some U.S. citrus-flavored drinks, is banned in Japan, the European Union, and the U.K.
Certain artificial food dyes like Red 40 are restricted in countries such as the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
If what you eat can manifest as physical illness, what makes you think it cannot inspire psychological pathology, or spiritual limitation? Lets not forget this passage from Matthew: 15:11: “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man” As within, so without. As above, so below.
The spirit
“Misidentifying oneself as the physical body, attachment to the physical body and the desire to gratify the bodily senses is the root cause of all suffering.” - Mind Control in the United States Steven Jacobson
Excessive Pride, Ego- gratification, Materialism. These three concepts encourage a stronger entanglement into material consciousness, thus blocking the path of spiritual consciousness. Be compassionate yet simultaneously perceptive, critical and honest of oneself. It wasn’t until I questioned the intent behind my behaviors that I unearthed true motivations driving my behaviors, and as a result I discovered the truer nature of my habits. Over the course of your life you identify the behaviors as yourself.
“To see the same soul in all living beings is to see with the eyes of God”
The body is a physical vessel that houses the spirit and the spirit houses the soul. You are not the physical body nor are you your mind and thoughts. Identifying with your body is akin to excessive pride in oneself; it's a quick path to a low vibrational state. Exercise can very well be a display of vanity and self absorption if not carefully managed. At what point does maximizing health become unhealthy and even vampirical?
A Journey Beyond Vanity: Seeking Wisdom with Spirit
Holding true wisdom begins with a desire; a strong inquiry for knowledge, driven by a sense of curiosity. Western values have lost the spiritual connection to its laws and governing bodies. The foundation to the Government has always been, historically, based upon religion. The constitution was constructed with a religious beliefs (holy Quaran, Torah or Bible) as the primary reference. Wars were fought over conflicting beliefs around who was god and the bible was a reference for abolitionists and oppressors to justify extreme ideologies. Today, America has become a secular nation weakening the connection to God.
Romans 8: 6-8
"For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God."
Reading the title of this blog you may have anticipated a “how to” or a story of how I overcame and grown into enlightened superiority and am now teaching you the ways to reach the same feats. It is in fact, the exact opposite. It took a lot of soul searching to see my own shortcomings, vulnerabilities, traumas, and defects. And what I found so far, to no surprise, is that I am far from perfect. One day, I opened up my bible, turned the pages landing upon the book of Ecclesiates which opened as such, an excerpt on vanity: (Paraphrase) It says that wisdom is better than ignorance but both will suffer the same fate that is death. Neither will withstand the tests of time. Both will be long forgotten. So as the pursuit of wealth, Power, prestige, and beauty is vanity, so too is the pursuit of wisdom.
