The Non-Physical Benefits of Exercise

With the increased emphasis on health and fitness there has been an increased emphasis on the beauty of the body. Our inherent competitive, ego-driven natures come into play and unspoken standards of beauty make us measure ourselves against one another. For men the emphasis is on physical strength and muscle definition. For women the emphasis is lean and slim figures with proper tone - that is to say - no flap beneath the arms and certainly no cellulite!

It’s no wonder that many spiritual aspirants, apart from trying to eat healthy, may reject the notion of exercise, as they desire to identify more with the spirit and less with the body.

So the question is - are there truly any spiritual and psychological benefits to be gained from exercising? The answer is yes!

Here are some major benefits that the spiritual seeker should consider as they ponder the question: To exercise or not?

1. Increased Sense of Well-Being - Exercising releases special chemicals called endorphins, which are sometimes called the happy hormones. These ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitters interact with receptors in our brains to help reduce our perception of pain and trigger positive feelings. This all aids to reduce stress levels and increase our overall sense of well-being and happiness

2. Strengthens the Chakras and Energy Body - It is now a scientific fact that we are energy. Even the densest matter that can be located is a representation of energy vibrating at a very low frequency. So, naturally the work done by the physical body transfers to the energetic body and chakra systems. As you go deeper in meditation, a fine tuned sensitivity to your energy body develops. For example, while doing certain yoga stretches; I can acutely feel my solar plexus chakra vibrating. It may be argued though, that certain types of exercise such as yoga, which are inherently spiritual, are more effective at focusing the energies on our chakras. Yet since our physical and energy bodies are linked, it stands to reason that many forms of exercise, done accurately and with a healthy spirit, can also allow for benefits to our spiritual energy bodies.

Additionally, if you are doing any type of energy work - be it clearing energy blockages or seeking to do energetic alignments, this work can be greatly enhanced by also working on your physical body.

3. Strengthens Our Will - Many if not all spiritual pursuits and practices are driven in part by strong wills. An effective prayer life, daily meditation, the desire to be a more loving person - can all fall apart if there is no real will. Developing the discipline to stick to a regular workout routine can translate to a better discipline to be faithful to your spiritual practice. Of course, the reversal is also true. I personally began developing a more healthy exercise routine because of my regular meditation and increased desire to be a more well-rounded being.

4. Facilitate Better Meditation - It is hard to meditate when your body is aching or you are feeling bloated and uncomfortable within your body. The need to remove your focus from the external and go within is somewhat dissuaded when you are nursing swollen ankles which pain ridiculously because you are overweight. Note well - it is not impossible to meditate while in pain and certainly the dexterity of focus and will that may be developed as a consequence of the pain may be argued to be quite a positive, spiritually speaking. However the reality is that many meditation beginners do not have that required dexterity. Simply put - removing your consciousness from the physical to go deeper in Spirit would be much easier in a balanced and healthy body.

5. An Act of Gratitude - Your body is the portal through which spirit is having a physical experience. You are here on earth for a reason even if that reason is solely to have an experience of life on earth. When we exercise and take care of our bodies, we are showing gratitude for our bodies. Gratitude is a positive spiritual trait to develop. it is a transmission to the universe that engages a feedback  The universe will have no choice but to beam back to you more and more things to be grateful for and in this way your overall well-being is increased.

6. Better Body - Better Temple - It stands to good reason that a spiritually minded person should, to some degree, care about the temple they are providing for Spirit. After all, your body is simply the house that spirit is wearing. There is a reason why many holy books and scriptures point to the body being the temple of God. When you take care of your body to the best of your ability, you essentially give Spirit the best temple you can offer.

7. More Balanced Approach to Life - For many spiritual aspirants there is a strong desire to go home, or go to heaven and basically leave this physical realm and be somewhere else. However while we are here - in our bodies, we need to make sure that we learn the lessons that we are here to learn. So seek God, or spirituality or a greater understanding of the universe but understand too the great universal law - ‘as above, so beneath….as within, so without’. There are fractal recurring patterns in life and so you may find that better understanding and appreciating your own beautiful body can actually enhance a greater understanding of the universe.

So happy exercising guys!

Love, light and blessings

EE

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