We exercise to maintain bodily health, yet this act is the manifestation of heaven and earth within us unified. Stories abound concerning the creation of reality as a process of intertwining the immaterial with the elemental. The higher immaterial aspect of being human is edified when care and attention are given to the elemental body aspect. To irresponsibly treat the body as disposable is to destabilize the dual nature harmony of the body. Reality, as solidified, spiritual substantiality, is experienced based on mentally analyzed, sense perceptions.
Many creation mythologies reflect that mankind is formed of material earth and imbued with spiritual essence. Mankind is part of the earth. ‘He; has risen to the top of the heap by ingenuity, community, and forethought. ‘He’ has contrived a higher existence beyond his comprehension as strives are continually made to cognize and categorize of what that higher existence of comprised. ‘He’ however remains a slave to the mortal coil. “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust” is a phrase used at funerals to signify that the body returns to the earth, reflecting the inevitability of physical death and the (biblical) reference to creation from dust (as related to the soul essence intertwining with and disassociating from the body).
Honoring the body with self care is to create an expansive space within oneself for that component of heaven. Caring for self is a multifaceted undertaking. There is diet. Providing proper nutrition in sufficient amounts is an an important component for wellness, especially as one ages. Another component is ‘rest’, aka sleep. Approximately 35% of US adults report sleeping less than the recommended duration, with issues like worry, stress, and environmental factors contributing to the problem. Then there is exercise. Movement, any degree of consistent and challenging movement, will be of great benefit. Caution is recommended for those who are not typically active as well as for those who are very active; not overdoing activity is always a challenge
Benign neglect or intentional indulgence of the bodily edifice can lead to physiological deficiencies. Ill health does not serve the individual in any positive capacity. Ill health is a result of lifestyle choices. Choosing to be well requires awareness, attention, and commitment. The body will give evidence of physiological stress as the combining, balancing and enacting these three aspects is forestalled. Balance is really critical. Neglecting the body can definitely bring about sickness. Overindulging the body, going in the opposite direction, can cause sickness as well. Improper nutrition, lack of rest, little or no exercise Overeating (, sleeping too much (it is possible and can be problematic), over-exercising (taxing the limits of physiological composition).
.The creation and experiencing of reality results from the harmonization of spirit and matter. Spirit and the soul essence of the individual encompasses the ability to experience the reflection that is taken to be the physical world. The reflection is encountered through the senses but must be interpreted by the brain. The brain is a physical aspect of soul. The brain, if left to the directive of the body, would only be occupied with the mundane. Yet, the body is the vehicle, is the technology, through which the energy of the soul is expressed. As the body is cared for, so to the soul. As below, so above. Even if no there is no intent to enhance connection to soul, through self care and exercise, it is nonetheless accomplished.
What is taken as reality is spirit solidified. The body is an aspect of that solidified materiality drawn from spirit. To take care of the body is to enhance the capacity to maneuver through daily task with relative autonomy. One is, in effect, giving credence to their spirit nature when they. exercise effectively, eat healthfully, rest sufficiently . . . . . by caring for themselves enough to put these aspects into active practice, they bring lightness to the material nature. Doing this enhances the connection to the higher spiritual nature; the senses turn inward to experience that connection. One does not have to be spiritual in word to exercise. Exercise is an expression of the unspoken, spiritual connection.
The senses are the modality of navigating the material world but they can be instruments through which one experiences spiritual connection.. Dick Gregory has expressed in times past that people do not concern themselves with taking better care of themselves; they tend to give more concern to their cars. One is spiritually attuning to their inner connectivity as they care for their material vehicle. The solidity of the body is animated by a force that escapes scientific scrutiny. Harmonization of the body through diet, rest, and exercise is an exhibition of heaven and earth being unified
Ab-Sutra Wellness and Fitness 