We are often led to think that body and soul are seperate. Spare me the cosmetics and fashion companies. They claim soul = body and nothing more, they need the money. But they do have a point. Trained to advance our left side of the brain (logic, reasoning and details) we often shot off our right side of the brain (spatial perception, and holistic thinking). Thus we fail to feel our body, which creates a large black hole in our soul.
When trying to understand human mind dynamics, I have often encountered life regulation sessions such as sports, religious practices and therapies. They all contain an earthly part where we "actively feel" our body from head to toe. A part where we become a whole organism capable of comprehending itself.
Small practice: lay down and try to relax every single tiny muscle you have. (after a slow and deep breath) start with facial muscles, ease them, avoid any contraction. Then the neck, then the shoulders. Let gravity do its work. When was the last time you were aware that you had a toe? Go on and feel it. Your finger is a part of your being. It is much more important than your daily troubles that only help you get an identity which is only a representation of your being.
That helps, but is awareness of our form essential?
It is. Because our feelings (which we believe to have little common ground with the body) are mere chemical reactions. These chemical reactions can be felt & experienced in different organs. What kinds of experiences? Depends on the person. Your stomach may react when you are disgusted by one's actions. You might be left short of breath when you are excited. You might gulp out of tension when someone is trying to get your attention... The list is long.
I'm not claiming that everything is physical and that there is no sense of spritituality etc. My claim is that much more than what we perceive as spritiual is actually physical and/or can be tracked by physical signs.
Actions are followed by bodily reactions whether they are visible or not from the outside. The trick is recognizing your bodily reactions, which lets you recognize your feelings, most of them suprassed or unseen otherwise. It is no surprise that the right brain which is able to grasp the moment we are in "is able to sneak into our consciousness". So "Carpe Diem" is not a lie. Our memories may stem from the past, our hopes may be about the future, but all these memories and hopes are present and live only now, and are based on our current bodily reactions.
