Written by Ronya Banks –
As you can probably imagine, the physical body plays an integral role in the “Flow” process.
On one hand, this human body is the vehicle with and through which this “Flow” bubbles forth into the manifestation of physical life. I cannot experience the physical dimension of life without a human body. To complicate things further, several years into my contemplative practice, I had the profound insight that although I have a body, I am not my body. Subsequent logical inquiries arose, like: “So, if I am not my body, who am I? What is the purpose of having this body, or this life?” These very inquiries actually put me on the path to discovering and continuing to explore this illusive “Flow.”
“This precious human birth” – an expression coined by the sage Buddha, is pointing to man’s great fortune to be born into a human body, because the human life affords us with the opportunity to evolve and possibly even awaken. Plus, there are so many beautiful, exhilarating, and meaningful interactions we, with bodies, can have within ourselves, with each other, and with all of the gifts this Earth bountifully offers.
Learning to allow “Flow” to flow through each life moment requires that I continually stay aware of and connected with the gifts this world and body have to offer me. A natural byproduct of this awareness is an increased motivation to honor, take great care of, listen to, and respect the natural rhythms of this wonderful physical machine.
Many people totally ignore their bodies’ future health by feeding themselves with whatever foods and drinks satisfy their momentary desires or addictive cravings. Been there, done that, and paid heavily. While engaging in physically destructive behaviors, we are basically operating at a state in which we are disconnected from our body’s energetic life force, which in turn, reduces our capacity to open up to higher life force levels. In other words, you are clogging up your “Flow” pipes when you are eating junk food, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, and/or partaking in the regular usage of recreational drugs. Your higher destiny cannot unfold in a cesspool of an abused or neglected life force.
Basically, the more in tune you are to connecting with and listening to your body’s needs, and the better you attend to your body, the greater your capacity to connect with the “Flow.”
More later, on the physical body.
Ronya Banks is the founder of and lead Mindfulness Meditation teacher at the Asheville Insight Meditation Community in Asheville (ashevillemeditation.com). As a veteran of nearly 30 years of intensive daily meditation practice, Ronya has been exploring the seen and unseen worlds to the point that these distinctions have fallen away and melded into one unifying realm – a realm she calls the “Flow.”
Ms. Banks leads mindfulness trainings for individuals and groups, including businesses (see mindfulnessremedy.com for more information). She also offers her services to the world as a spiritual guide, business consultant, and energy healer.